Incidental Matters
by SkyeLansing
Summary: Following the second outbreak of savage mammals perpetrated by a fox going by the name of Flip the city of Zootopia has struggled to come to grips with the inter-species tensions the crisis provoked. Now, just when it appeared that things were beginning to calm down, came an outbreak of brutal assaults and murders that has left the ZPD scrambling to contain the violence.
1. Brisa

**AN: Goodness, this has been a long time coming. Much longer than I expected!**

 **To anyone who didn't read my last story Partners, I recommend giving it a gander. I don't think it is required reading,  
however it will give background context (plus I am very proud of what I accomplished with it!).**

 **You can find Partners in the list of published stories on my author page.  
**

 **One final note. I kept to a very regular update schedule when writing Partners, posting a new chapter almost every week.  
Unfortunately I won't be able to do that with this story. I wish I could say that is because I am taking a lot of care to ensure the quality of my writing, but the truth is I am just really busy this year due to factors I have no control over. I intend to keep a regular update schedule of some sort, but right now I have no clue what that will be. All I can say is that I doubt it will be as frequent as I would like.**

* * *

Brisa eyed the rat and stoat that had shown up to the meeting and did her best not to roll her eyes. They'd gone to the trouble of wearing street clothes, most likely to hide who they worked for, but judging by how new everything looked they must've bought everything not an hour before and their fashion sense looked like it had come out of a movie that was at least a decade old. Add their overbearing attitudes into the equation and it took away any shred of mystery. Mafia.

Not that she particularly cared. Life as a freelance courier meant taking jobs when they came, even though she was a flying fox. She'd worked with the mob before and had no doubt she would do so again in the future. Mostly she was surprised that they were apparently concerned with hiding what they were, even if they were doing a bad job of it. She briefly considered mentioning how poor their disguises were, then decided it was best not to scare away potential clients. Especially not ones that were willing to pay so handsomely on such short notice.

"You're late," she said flatly, giving the pair a look. It was always best to start off these sorts of things with the advantage if possible. "Lucky I decided to stick around. I could've gotten another job by now if I didn't trust you would actually show."

The rat tsked and brushed his hands over his shirt, but the stoat quickly motioned for him to hold his tongue. "We ran into a few problems," she said seriously. "Nothing you need to worry about, and we're willing to pay extra for your trouble."

"How very—" Brisa started, but the stoat apparently wasn't done.

"Up front. Cash," she said, then pulled out an envelope. "Along with the rest of your fee."

Brisa bit the tip of her tongue, then held her hand out once she had suppressed her initial surprise. "Lemme see it."

The stoat wordlessly handed the envelope over, watching silently as Brisa checked it. This wasn't the place to count things properly, but just flipping through the bills she quickly realized she'd been handed well over five times her usual fee. Her jaw clenched, pressing her lips into a thin line as she stared at the payment, mind racing as she considered what all the money meant.

 _Don't ask. Don't ask. Don't ask. It's best not to know._

She gave her head a shake and unzipped a pocket to the backpack she had strapped to her chest, safely tucking the money away. Both the mobsters relaxed immediately.

"Where's the package?" she asked, picking her words carefully.

"Right here," the rat said, stepping forward to produce a small parcel bound shut with twine. Just judging by the size it looked to be some sort of book.

 _Stop that!_ she scolded herself. _It's better not to know._

"And where am I taking it?"

"Tundra Town. 755 Evergreen Drive," the rat said crisply as he handed the package over.

A shiver ran down Brisa's spine that had little to do with her anticipation of the cold. That was an address she recognized. Not just mob, but members of Mr. Big's circle or some of his associates.

"Well, with how much you're paying me I best get moving, aye?" she said and put the parcel into her pack as well.

To her surprise the pair merely nodded absently. No additional instructions. No warnings about what would happen if she screwed up. In fact, the rat seemed more interested in making sure the alley remained empty than in anything she was saying. As for the stoat, she was fidgeting as if she couldn't wait to get moving once more. Both very bad signs.

With that in mind Brisa decided the safe bet was on getting airborne sooner rather than later, so she began to scramble up the side of the building rather than risk taking the time to find an elevator to the roof. This was more discreet anyway. Not many mammals were able to fly, and asking how to get onto the roof tended to make mammals remember a face. The sooner she was in the air the safer she would feel.

Not that she was a fan of digging her claws into cinder block; every time she did it took days before she got them properly sharpened again. It was the fastest way into the air however. She was barely even half way up before she kicked off and stretched her wings. Several powerful flaps halted her drop well short of the ground, and moments later she turned toward the large buildings that dominated the downtown section of Savanna Central. Once there she could ride one of the air currents up high enough to simply glide anywhere else in the city.

Getting there didn't take long when she didn't have to follow the streets. One of the many perks of flight. Before long she could feel the air beginning to warm, pulling on her wing membranes as it rose. Then came a surge, dragging her higher as she promptly pitched into a tight right turn to keep herself centered in the powerful thermal. A thrill ran through her body, making her tingle out to the very tips of her wings, tempting her to keep soaring higher and higher.

But the comfortable weight settled against her chest brought her back and she carefully cleared the air around her just to be sure she wasn't being followed, unlikely as that possibility seemed. The vast majority of bats in Zootopia kept to the Nocturnal District in the caverns below the city, and those who kept to the surface were a tightly knit bunch. She couldn't imagine that anyone she knew would take work that would put her at risk. Then again, when it came to a job that even had members of the Big Family worried she wasn't about to take risks. Fortunately her concerns were unfounded. There weren't any other bats to be seen, just a few birds circling lazily with her.

All that remained was to glide down to the delivery site. Brisa dipped her left wing down, letting the bank turn her toward Tundra Town, then flew over the barrier that separated the district from Savanna Central. She braced herself for a sudden burst of cold that didn't come once she crossed the threshold, forgetting as usual that the temperature wouldn't fall until she got below the wall's level and through the artificial temperature inversion the city had engineered. That gave her plenty of time to scope out the area before she needed to worry about freezing.

One of the few good things about Tundra Town was how easy it was to pick a landing spot. Unlike the warmer districts mammals tended to stay indoors for the most part, so it was possible to simply line up with an empty street and come down. No nonsense with landing on a roof or trying to find an open plaza.

Of course that convenience came at a cost. The moment Brisa dipped down into the frigid air she could feel the heat draining from her body. Her wings were especially bad as the sudden snap of cold immediately began to sting the thin wing membranes. Before long the pain was bad enough to make her eyes water and she angled her descent to reach the ground more quickly, eager to deliver the package so she could find someplace to warm up before taking the train home. She'd learned long ago there wasn't any flying out of Tundra Town, at least not for her.

She was almost to the ground, actually low enough to begin worrying about how deep the snow was, when something slammed into her from above. The impact snapped her head back making her bite her tongue, the air clawing at her delicate wings as they fought to keep her aloft. Something dug into her back, slicing through fabric and flesh alike as it rocketed past. Blinding agony burned through her body as her wings gave out. For just a moment she was dimly aware that she was tumbling. Then a bone-jarring crunch, and she felt nothing more.

* * *

Judy stifled a yawn, feeling the train slow as it rounded the last curve before it pulled into the station nearest Precinct One. She tried not to feel put upon at being called in on Saturday even though this was the third week in a row that it had happened. To some degree she'd gotten used to it over the past year as the ZPD scrambled to quell interspecies disputes that had erupted in the wake of Flip's brief but sharp reign of terror. Things had even started calming down, especially after Mayor Bogo was swept into office by a huge margin and he immediately set to instituting a string of new policies focused on addressing the grievances that were being raised by all sides.

The problem was that just as that front appeared to be simmering down the city had been hit with a sudden swell of violence, and naturally given recent history most mammals assumed the attacks were somehow related to inter-species unrest. Enough so that many citizens were now on edge and the more extremist organizations were beginning to rattle their sabers once again. According to those individuals every crime was an attempt to push them down, or else it was some sort of absurd false flag. Naturally that also came with accusations that the ZPD was now unfairly targeting this group or that group. Half the time Judy felt like there simply wasn't any way to win.

"Huh," Nick said from beside her, his tail curling down to brush along her ankles.

She felt her ears warm briefly as she looked up at him. "Please don't tell me you forgot something back home."

"That's only happened twice," he said, lifting his chin in mock outrage as a lazy smile spread across his muzzle. "I was just realizing that usually you're the one that's telling me to cheer up in the mornings."

That bushy tail continued to flick lazily back and forth under the seat, continuing to brush teasingly at her feet and the back of her legs, tickling her ever so slightly. Before he pressed his luck too far she gave him a firm nudge even as she fought down the smile that was pushing at the corners of her mouth.

"I know we aren't on duty until we get to the precinct, but you probably shouldn't be doing that when we're in uniform," she reminded him.

Nick winked in response. "Aye aye. I'll save it for tonight, sweetheart."

A warm shiver ran down Judy's back, but before she could say anything the train came to a stop and the doors opened. The sudden noise of mammals as they disembarked while others tried to push their way on made talking impossible, at least for the moment, and Nick hurriedly made his way off along with the majority of the crowd leaving her to catch up.

She huffed lightly and bounded after him, knowing from his self-satisfied expression that he'd intentionally timed his response so there wouldn't be time for her to get another word in. One of his ways of teasing her during the times they were expected to behave professionally. He'd only ratcheted up the antics since they'd moved in together four months ago, yet somehow they still gave her that same thrilling tingle. After all, it was his way of constantly affirming how deeply he cared for her—especially during the times he couldn't simply come out and say it.

Rather than fall in step beside Nick she bumped her hip against him and continued past with a flick of her tail, forcing him to catch up with her this time as she hurried toward the precinct. As usual her keen ears caught a few comments at the display, even tame as it was. And as usual she ignored them, unwilling to let anything so petty dampen her mood.

It wasn't a race; at least not exactly. At the pace she'd set Nick was easily able to catch up, and she was certainly capable of going much faster, but unless Nick played along she would reach the precinct first and Nick would be the one they were waiting on. More of a friendly game than a serious competition, her way of teasing Nick back and forcing a little extra exercise on the lazy fox.

She slowed her pace once they reached the stairs that led up into the station's foyer, giving them both a chance to catch their breath so they wouldn't be panting while they were briefed on why they'd been called in. The short walk also gave them both time to ensure their uniforms were still in order, and as usual Nick took the opportunity to lightly needle her again.

"Have you ever wondered what others must think when they see you take off like that and I chase ya?" he asked, head tilted to one side as he peeked down.

For the second time that morning she felt heat rush up into her face, but forced herself to smile as she wiggled her ears lightly. "You mean do I wonder what they say?" she asked coyly. "As a matter a fact I don't. What about you?"

Nick nearly missed a step, prompting her to laugh while he muttered a pithy comment about bunnies and their ears. She shot him another smile, an outright grin really, then happily entered the precinct with her partner just a couple of steps behind.

Chief Uncia intercepted them before they made it very far, the agitated flick of the snow leopard's tail clearly advertising her sour mood. Hardly a surprise all things considered. Given how rapidly Uncia had climbed from the rank of lieutenant to chief, leaping over a number of officers with more seniority in the process, she found herself under a lot of scrutiny. Doubly so since she'd been placed at the head of Precinct One even though Bogo had fully endorsed her as his replacement. Add to that the recent rash of violence working it's way through the city and there was more than enough to make a relatively new chief antsy.

"You're both here. Marvelous," she said, and immediately began to lead them back toward her office. "Sorry for calling you in again, I would prefer not to, but right now I've got the commissioner barking at me to put you on this one."

"The commissioner requested us?" Judy asked, her voice reaching a higher pitch than she intended.

"You," Chief Uncia corrected, then let out a low rumble. "And not exactly. I think it is a bad idea, but unfortunately there aren't any other options right now."

Nick interrupted the chief before she could go on. "Wait, this isn't something dangerous is it?"

Uncia pursed her lips, giving Nick a look, and refused to say anything until they reached her office. Once inside she immediately went to her desk and picked up a manila folder, flipping it open.

"Officer Hopps, you still maintain your casual friendship with Fru Fru Big, correct?" Uncia asked, peering down at Judy.

Judy felt an uncomfortable knot in her stomach. "Yes chief, but I've been extra careful to never talk about work since IA came after me. We just have lunch dates every so often, nothing you don't already know about." She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet the larger feline's gaze. "Internal Affairs isn't going to start digging into that again, are they?"

Uncia waved her hand dismissively. "Hopefully not, Hopps, but you know I've been going out of my way to keep you away from the Big Family. In this case you seem to be our only in, however."

"Wait, this has to do with Mr. Big?" Nick asked, stepping forward. "What happened to that whole conflict of interest talk you gave us? If you send Judy it could compromise the whole investigation."

Uncia turned to stare at Nick impassively. "Which is why I think it is a bad idea."

"But you are going to send her anyway," Nick said, his tail beginning to bristle.

"As I said, there isn't another option," Uncia insisted as she handed Judy the folder. "There has been another attack. This one just in front of a business controlled by the Big Family." The large cat paused for a moment to give Judy a pointed look. "Mr. Big was present at the time and has agreed to provide a statement on one condition."

Judy swallowed lightly before venturing a guess. "He wants to make it to me."

"Bingo."

Nick looked between the two of them, frustration written clearly on his muzzle, then gave his head a shake. "Do I really have to say it out loud? The only reason Mr. Big is insisting that he talk to Carrots is he thinks she can be convinced to interfere with the investigation."

"I am perfectly aware of that, Officer Wilde," the chief said, her tail flicking. "Which is part of the reason I am sending you too. I've already spoken with Chief Anderson and he agrees that we can make this work."

Chief Uncia's statement practically made Judy quiver with indignation, but she pointedly bit her tongue. Perhaps her history with the Big Family made her involvement risky, but she didn't need them sending Nick to make sure she handled things properly. Yes, she owed Mr. Big a favor, but she wasn't about to compromise a ZPD investigation to repay it. And Mr. Big had to be well aware of that; he didn't get to be the head of his family by being stupid. Besides, Nick had actually worked for the mob at one point, and had a history of taking dubious actions while on the force.

But she pushed all that aside, forcing herself to focus on the job instead. "You think I can get a confession out of him?"

"Doubt it," Nick mumbled under his breath.

"We aren't even sure he was involved," Uncia admitted. "At the very least he claims this was not him, which is why he is willing to make a statement at all. Says he wants to make sure whoever did this is caught."

Nick tsked. "To protect his reputation, no doubt."

Chief Uncia glared at the fox. "I don't care why he wants to help, so long as it is genuine. And if it isn't, if he is involved somehow, then this may be our chance to nail him." To Judy's surprise the chief actually flashed her teeth briefly. "Whatever the case, he probably expects you to do right by him, Hopps. Maybe he trusts you. I don't know, and it doesn't matter. Use it to get whatever you can out of him."

"I'll try," Judy said, lifting her chin a hair. "But don't expect much. If he wants to talk to me I'm sure he's prepared. I doubt this is his first time being interviewed by the ZPD."

"It isn't," Nick said confidently.

"Which is the other reason I'm sending you along, Officer Wilde. Your…unorthodox path to the force gives you a unique insight on matters such as this. Put it to use."


	2. Forthright

**AN: Wanted to start by saying I'm honestly a little blown away by the reception this story has gotten right from the start. I'd hoped this series would take off more quickly than Partners, but never expected the first chapter alone would get me over 100 follows!**

 **Thank you everyone for the support.**

* * *

When Nick finally arrived at the cruiser Judy gave him a teasing smile as she closed the manilla folder, tilting her ears toward him. "So, finally done with your panic attack?"

Nick laughed once. "Excuse me?"

"You were awfully insistent that we wait before this little meeting," she said, rolling her eyes a bit as she unlocked the vehicle. "Or are you denying that Mr. Big frightens you?"

"Okay, Carrots, first of all you are way off base. I'm not 'frightened' by Mr. Big. Spiders frighten me. Mr. Big scares me to death," Nick said, slipping easily into the passenger side as he gave her a sideways look. "Second, that has nothing to do with why I wanted us to wait."

"Really?"

"Okay, maybe a tiny bit," he said and mimed pinching the air, "but there was something important I needed to do as well."

Judy tsked and shook her head as she carefully maneuvered the cruiser onto the street. "Nick, please. Nothing could be that important."

"Not even my calling a few old buddies to find out the latest on what the Big Family is up to?" he asked.

It took every ounce of her self control to keep her eyes on the road when he said that. She gripped the wheel more tightly, only daring to glance his way when they got caught by a red light. As she expected Nick had that smirk he'd perfected plastered on his muzzle.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh. "Nick, dear, please don't make me ask what you did."

"Nothing you need to worry about," he said, relenting even as that smirk remained. "Just called in a few favors. I've been out of the game for so long it seemed a good idea to catch up on what rumors are going around."

"Rumors," Judy repeated, a smile returning to her lips. "And how many of them do you think are true?"

"Almost none of them," Nick answered confidently, settling back in his seat. "That said I learned that even false rumors get started for a reason. Even if everything I heard is completely wrong it'll give a bit of context to anything we hear or see."

Judy considered that quietly for a moment. The cop in her didn't like the idea of relying on hearsay for an investigation, courts demanded more concrete evidence before handing out convictions, but she couldn't deny that they were about to dive into the realm where Nick's expertise would definitely come in handy. Courts might not put any stock in hunches the fox had as a result of those rumors, but if it led them to actual evidence then that was a different matter entirely.

"So," Judy said, drawing the word out, her head canting in Nick's direction. "What'd these rumors say?"

"You want to hear them all, or just the most likely ones?"

As if he even needed to ask. "The likely ones. I'll let you worry about the other nonsense."

"Well, if you want to be boring," Nick said, then pulled back just in time to avoid a playful punch. "The only reliable stuff I've got is pretty standard, I'm afraid. The usual talk among mammals who need to keep an eye on what the big players are doing so they don't end up accidentally stepping on anyone's toes. A lot of it is stuff like who is working with who, or what areas to avoid. That sort of thing. The only one that really got my attention is that apparently a lot of crime bosses are circling their wagons."

"Meaning?"

"Hiring more muscle than usual. Keeping a close eye on their associates and taking steps to ensure their loyalty. Some are even taking a closer look at how much their…investments are bringing in. Anything that costs more than it makes is being cut loose, even if long-term prospects are good. From the looks of it most of them are more concerned with securing what they have then taking risks by branching out."

Judy mulled that over as she pulled onto the main artery that led into Tundra Town, then peeked over at Nick. "Isn't that a good thing? If they're pulling back doesn't it mean less crime overall?"

Nick made a face. "Possibly? The problem is that if they are pulling back like this it means they're expecting trouble. Everyone's on edge, and when things get like that it doesn't take much to throw a match on the powder keg." His ears flicked back. "And before you ask, nobody knows what has the crime bosses worried. My best guess is that some of their associates got caught up in the recent interspecies conflict and they're worried that someone is trying to take advantage of the confusion by weakening their rivals."

Judy pursed her lips and seriously thought about that. For the most part things had calmed down after a fox that went by the moniker Flip had attempted to get revenge upon the prey of Zootopia during the so-called "Savage City" incident. The rifts he'd created still hadn't mended, but former-Chief Bogo's resignation followed by his election as Mayor on a platform of reconciliation was making progress…or rather it had been until that body was found in the Rainforest District last month.

An unpleasant prickling sensation ran down Judy's spine and she shook her head, pushing those images away. The brutality of the scene had triggered the most recent wave of unrest. Nothing approaching the riots that had come before, but protests on opposite sides of the spectrum often clashed. Brawls weren't an uncommon result, and in several instances less scrupulous individuals took advantage of the chaos to go looting—acts that both sides decried and blamed on each other.

She could easily imagine someone associated with a crime family getting caught up in that. Perhaps looters just happened to target a business that was under protection, or a member of a crime family was unlucky enough to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Then again, using the city's problems as a cover would be a clever way to land a few blows without risking retaliation.

"You think they'll end up fighting?" she asked Nick.

"I don't know," he admitted, then sighed. "Never seen them go this far before, and everyone I've asked agrees it hasn't been this bad before. Mostly the different bosses avoid direct confrontations because in the long run they all lose. Expensive without much payoff."

"But that is still better than getting pushed out," Judy guessed.

"Yeah," Nick said. "How close we are to that point I can't really say. Haven't really seen this stuff with my own eyes for a while, but when we meet Mr. Big…well, that should give me some feeling for it. The fact that he demanded you specifically doesn't bode well though."

Judy blinked in surprise, then felt her ears wilt ever so slightly. "You think he didn't ask for me because he can pressure me into throwing the investigation. He just trusts me."

"He knows that you aren't the sort that will try something during a meeting. If things have gotten bad enough that Mr. Big is taking those sorts of steps…" he trailed off then sighed and pulled out his aviator sunglasses, putting them on just in time to protect his eyes from the glare off of Tundra Town's snow. "On that happy note, what'd the case file tell you?"

"Wouldn't call it a case file exactly. The investigation is so new there isn't much in there," Judy said, squinting against the brightness while her eyes adjusted. "Victim is a fruit bat. Name unknown. They didn't find anything on her even though she was wearing some sort of pack. The bag was shredded so whoever did this probably took everything."

Nick's ears stood upright. "Fruit bat?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Her partner hesitated a moment, then settled back in his seat once more. "It might be nothing. Bats aren't that common outside the Nocturnal District though. Too many mammals assume all bats drink blood. The ones that do venture out often work as couriers. It's impossible to get something from one place in the city to another faster than a mammal that can fly, so they're able to carve out a decent living."

Judy filed that information away in the back of her mind. "If she was a courier it would explain the pack. Maybe someone wanted whatever she was carrying." She shook her head slightly. "Regardless, a young polar bear saw her fall out of the sky and called an ambulance. At first everyone assumed it was just going to be some sort of nasty accident, but the first responders found deep slashes in her back."

"She going to be okay?"

"The report didn't say. I really hope so," Judy said, then took a deep breath and squeezed the steering wheel.

Nick didn't respond immediately. She welcomed the brief silence, taking the opportunity to wrestle with the concern had threaded its way into her. Did the other officers have the same reaction she did when working cases where someone got hurt? Not that she was ashamed that she cared, but she always assumed that with more experience the cases wouldn't get under her fur so easily. Yet right then, after all she'd read about the poor bat's injuries, she could almost feel the wounds as if they were on her back as well.

"Carrots?"

"I'm fine," she murmured and took a breath to steady herself.

"That's great, but you just missed our turn, hun."

* * *

Although Nick hadn't teased Judy for missing the road he could tell she was still flustered by the mistake. What's more, he could sympathize with her embarrassment. The days when she'd ask him how to navigate Zootopia were long past and she'd been so proud at the time she'd realized it had been months since she'd last needed directions. Not that Judy was afraid to admit when she needed help, but the flip side of that was the satisfaction she derived from her self-sufficiency.

"You know, this sort of thing happens to everyone from time to time. Even me," he said as they got out of the car. His fur fluffed out against the sharp chill. "Besides, the Chief goes out of her way to keep us away from here. Enough time passes and anyone would be a bit rusty."

"Nick?"

He looked over to find her giving him a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah?"

"I'm not a child. Don't patronize me," she said, then closed her door and started toward Mr. Big's residence.

The reprimand made him dip his ears back in a blush as he rushed to hurry after her, the tip of his tail dragging over the snow-covered ground. "Sorry. I honestly didn't mean it like that. It's just that I hate seeing you being down on yourself, and it really is something I've done before too."

Judy sighed lightly. "I know you didn't mean it, but I just…" Her ears dipped back and she gave her head a shake. "Listen, we've got a job to do. I'm fine. Really."

A lie; a bad one that didn't fool him for a moment. He bit his tongue, only giving a nod in response. Although it hurt when Judy refused to open up with him he knew it was best not to pry. That had been what caused their first real relationship fight, after all. If it was really important then Judy would feel comfortable sharing what was on her mind in her own time.

Not to mention that she was probably nervous. That she owed Mr. Big a favor was one of Judy's biggest concerns despite her continued friendship with Fru Fru. Judy had talked with him about the problem privately, trying to devise a plan on what to do if—when—Mr. Big finally called in the debt. That Internal Affairs came sniffing around every few months certainly didn't ease her fears.

"Judy?" Nick said just before they reached the door. When she looked over he flashed her a confident grin. "You're going to do great, so don't worry. You got this."

She blinked in surprise, then returned the smile as she relaxed noticeably. "Thanks."

The doorbell chimed three times when Judy pressed the button and the door immediately swung open to reveal a towering polar bear. So far business as usual, however Nick had expected either Kevin or Raymond. Perhaps even Koslov. Instead they were met by someone Nick had never seen before. That didn't necessarily mean anything, it had been some time since he felt compelled to follow all the minute details about Mr. Big's business. There was every chance this was just someone who had distinguished himself enough to work directly with the boss.

Even so it was unexpected, and Nick had long ago learned to be wary if something was unusual when dealing with the mob. Yes, it might be nothing. It could also mean that something had happened, or that Mr. Big had placed his most trusted men on some special job, or any number of things. Yet it matched the vague concerns that had passed to him through the rumor mill. That might just be coincidence, coincidences happened all the time after all, but in Nick's opinion it was foolish to place much trust in them.

The bear led them to a posh lounge where Mr. Big was already waiting for them, seated in a tiny recliner situated on a table in front of a couch more suitable for the larger mammals in his employ. Standing just behind him was a tiger in a business suit who Nick assumed was the crime boss's current lawyer. No sooner did they enter than Mr. Big hopped out of his chair and spread his arms wide.

"Judy, my dear, it is a pleasure to see you again," the shrew said, then turned his predatory smile on Nick. "And Nicky! I was not expecting you. Let me guess, the good chief sent you along to snoop around while I'm interviewing."

"Please, Mr. Big, call me Officer Hopps while I'm on duty," Judy said quickly, "and yes Chief Uncia wanted Officer Wilde here as well since he brings a unique perspective."

"Plus I am her partner," Nick added despite the dryness in his mouth.

"Oh I know. I've been following your careers closely, believe me."

Judy blinked, ears perking up. "You are? Why? How?"

"I have my reasons, my dear," Mr. Big said as he settled back into his chair, patting his stomach. "As for how, there are enough gossip columns that cover the two of you it is a wonder there isn't a tabloid dedicated to it. But nevermind that, it isn't why you're here. Please, have a seat."

"I…ah…yes, thank you," Judy started, the inside of her ears turning several shades deeper pink. She hopped onto the couch across from Mr. Big and pulled out a pad of paper.

"I'm fine with standing," Nick said, giving a polite nod toward his partner before backing away. "You wanted to talk with Carrots anyway, so I'll just keep out of the way."

Mr. Big waved Nick off dismissively, no doubt trusting the polar bear that had escorted them in to keep him in line. Not that the crime boss needed to worry, Nick wasn't suicidal. He made a show of drifting around the periphery of the room, examining the decor while keeping one ear turned toward the conversation.

"So sorry that you both had to come out here on your day off, but perhaps you can appreciate my position. There was an attack on my property, and of course your fellow officers must assume that I, or one of my associates, was involved." The shrew made a face and shifted about in his seat. "As if I would ever do something so crass. So bad for business. Believe me when I tell you that I want nothing more than to see the ones responsible brought to justice, but I understand perfectly well that the ZPD is looking for any excuse to latch onto me. That is why I insisted you come here, Judy dear, and why I agreed to provide a statement against the advice of Gianni here."

The tiger inclined his head slightly, then cleared his throat. "Before we begin I want to make it clear that my client denies any involvement in whatever transpired on his property. By all appearances the location of this crime was purely coincidental, in my opinion."

Nick fought the urge to roll his eyes, gradually making his way to stand beside the polar bear that had let them into the manor, keeping one ear turned toward Judy as she began the questioning. She wouldn't have any problems handling the situation despite her concerns so there wouldn't be any need for him to interject. In all honesty Judy probably had a better idea of which questions were the most pertinent to the investigation anyway. She'd actually read the case file. All he needed to do was make sure Mr. Big didn't try to slip any lies past them.

"You know, I've always wondered how you guys can stand so quietly all the time," Nick commented, leaning against the wall beside the polar bear. He watched the larger mammal from the corner of his eye, taking note of the stiff posture with some interest before offering his hand. "Officer Wilde."

The bear took a moment to look down at him, remaining utterly silent until he accepted the offered hand with surprising gentleness. "Michael."

"So are you new here or—"

Michael gave him a hard look. "I don't know what you think you are doing, but I was told not to discuss what happened with the police."

Keeping himself from looking in Mr. Big's direction took some effort, although Nick couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Whatever anyone said about the crime boss, he knew how to pick henchmen with some common sense.

"That's fine, I doubt you'd know anything about it anyway," Nick said, lightly needling the bear while making a show of settling in comfortably. "Actually was more interested in why you're here. Usually Mr. Big keeps Koslov by him, if memory serves. I hope the big guy isn't out sick."

"Away on other business," Michael said, his tone making it clear he wouldn't divulge any more on the matter.

Nick nodded absently, keeping his mouth shut as Mr. Big went through his alibi and named witnesses that could confirm his whereabouts, as if anyone would believe the crime boss would handle a killing personally. Judy jotted everything down regardless before she began to ask Mr. Big what he knew about the crime itself.

"So, are Kevin and Raymond busy with other business as well?" Nick asked, looking up at the large bear again.

"Yeah, they're all—" Michael began, then seemed to remember himself with a start. When he met Nick's gaze his eyes were wide, ears tilted back. "Who are you?"

"Just one of Zootopia's finest," Nick said, letting a touch of smugness seep into his voice.

Judging by the way Michael continued to look at him Nick doubted the polar bear would be giving up any more, but he'd already gotten everything he wanted from the exchange. In the past he would've been wary of ending a conversation with one of Mr. Big's men with that amount of snark, burning that sort of bridge was always risky for someone living in the gray areas of the law, but in this case it was in everyone's best interests. There was enough dirt in his past that he didn't want to give Internal Affairs any reason to start prying into his background, and if he managed to get too much information then the bear would end up in trouble.

…Plus the lawyer was looking his way now.

Nick wasn't entirely sure if the tiger could cause their investigation problems if he managed to coax the Polar Bear into giving something away. He didn't think it was possible, but knowing all the rules in the book was Judy's department. Then again, even if he was in the clear that didn't mean the lawyer couldn't use it to delay the investigation.

Ordinarily that wasn't something that bothered Nick. Justice had a tendency to come slow by design. Often that was frustrating, but he'd learned to accept it was necessary to ensure there weren't any mistakes, and if things were going to be slow anyway then an extra delay didn't usually amount to much. This time mammals were actually being attacked, however. That made everything different, so he crossed his arms and silently listened to the interview.

"Can you explain why you were at the scene when the crime took place?" Judy asked, having apparently calmed down now that she'd fallen into the familiar routine of interviewing a mammal of interest.

"I wouldn't say I was at the scene exactly. I didn't actually see anything happen," Mr. Big began, his hands folded in his lap. "I was on the premises however. We've been looking at updating our fleet of limousines you see, so I was visiting to inspect several new models. We were in the garage at the time, so nobody under my employ knew there had been an attack until the ZPD showed up."

Judy's pen kept moving as the crime boss spoke, only pausing long enough for her to ask the next question. "So you don't know any details of the crime then?"

"Only secondhand. Things I overheard the officers saying, and through my own sources," Mr. Big said. To Nick's eye the shrew looked completely relaxed and entirely truthful.

"Nothing?" Judy said, clearly surprised as she looked up from her pad. "Please excuse me, sir, but if you don't know anything then why—"

"Because I have enemies, my dear, so perhaps I can point you in the right direction." As he spoke Mr. Big pushed himself to sit a little straighter, then brushed down his suit. "This attack, and whoever did it, clearly intends to make it appear as if I was involved. I will be honest here Judy—Officer Hopps. If I wished I could use my own resources to find the ones who did this and exact revenge, but unfortunately matters have gotten so complicated I fear the outcome would not be entirely desirable in ways I am sure the ZPD would prefer to avoid as well. Nor would handling this myself silence any fools who believe I am responsible for this sloppy hatchet job."

"You want us to clear your name."

"Precisely," Mr. Big said, smiling. "By bringing the ones who did this to justice. My cooperation here signals I have nothing to hide."

Nick chewed that over. So far it matched everything he'd managed to hear through the grapevine. If things really were as tense as he'd heard, and everything indicated they were, then anything Mr. Big did on his own carried the risk of igniting a gang war.

"Alright, but for now I prefer to focus on the crime. We can discuss your enemies after," Judy said, her pen returning to the notebook. "The victim was wearing a pack that was ripped open. All the contents were missing, so there is a possibility that she was attacked just to get whatever she was carrying. Would you by chance know what that might be?"

Mr. Big paused. "Why would I know something like that?"

"It is just a routine question." Judy glanced briefly in Nick's directly. "However I've been told bats living outside of the Nocturnal District generally find work as couriers. There is a chance she was carrying something intended for you."

 _That's my girl_ , Nick thought, his tail swishing with satisfaction.

Mr. Big glanced at his lawyer. It was subtle, Nick had to give the crime boss that. Little more than a slight tilt to his head. He might have just been looking to one side as he thought, but Nick noticed that slight flick of movement in the shrew's eyes as he looked to the larger tiger. If he got any response it passed too quickly for Nick to catch it, but afterward Mr. Big started drumming on his chair's armrest.

"Normally anything that is sent to me comes to my home, and I wasn't expecting to receive anything today," he said, lightly waving with his other hand. "If this bat was carrying something for me I do not know what it would be."

 _True, true, and true_. Nick's ears flicked lightly as he listened to the mob boss speak, mildly surprised he was being so forthcoming.

"No idea at all?" Judy pressed, only to get a nod in response. "Surely you have received unexpected packages before. What do those normally entail."

"News about unexpected problems. Usually emergencies," Mr. Big said thoughtfully as he rubbed his bottom jaw. "If the package was for me it could very well be something of that nature, but that is merely speculation. The truth of the matter is I have no idea what this courier was carrying. I was not expecting any packages and have not been notified that one was sent to me. Believe me, Officer Hopps, I wish I could give you more, but I do not know why someone would take what this poor girl was carrying. I don't even know who she is."

 _True_ , Nick thought as he listened closely. _True, true, true, true, true… Lie?_

No, that wasn't quite right. Not a lie, or not entirely. Perhaps Mr. Big didn't know who the fruit bat was, at least not for sure, but he did have some ideas. Suspicious for a mammal that claimed he wished he could help more, although Nick cautioned himself that it might be innocent. In his experience when a mammal was issuing denials it was easy for them to overstep and exaggerate things without intending to do so. Even he had a tendency to do so, if caught by surprise.

But if that was the case…

Nick felt a knot of worry make a home in his stomach. There weren't that many bats outside the Nocturnal District in Zootopia, and while many of them worked as couriers Nick could only think of one who might be familiar with Mr. Big. Still no official ID, and that was going to slow the investigation unless he was right. He swallowed hard, realizing they would need to check the hospital for him to be sure.

Through the remainder of the interview he found himself honestly hoping that this time he was wrong.

* * *

Judy placed one hand on Nick's forearm as he stared through the glass separating them from the room the bat had been given in Zootopia Regional Hospital's ICU ward. His abrupt insistence that they check on the attack victim after they'd left Mr. Big's manor had come as a surprise, but it wasn't unusual for the fox to make unexpected suggestions during the course of an investigation. His hunches didn't always pay dividends, but they had proved reliable enough in the past that she made it a point to back him up even when the other officers thought it was a wild goose chase.

"That's her?" Judy asked quietly.

Nick nodded, a series of expressions playing across his muzzle too quickly for her to decipher. "Yeah. Brisa. Don't know where she lives, but if I ask the right people maybe we can…"

As he trailed off Judy gave his arm a squeeze, then looked into the room as well. Even through the glass she could hear the faint beeping of the machinery monitoring the bat, accompanied by the periodic hiss of air being forced through the breathing tube. According to the physician the fruit bat had briefly awoken once after being brought in, but had been too feverish to answer questions. Given the fall she'd had there was some concern about neurological damage, but the immediate concerns were blood loss, infection, and frostbite. They weren't sure when she would wake again, nor if she would be any more lucid once her condition had stabilized.

"She a friend?"

Nick took his time considering the question, then reluctantly shook his head. "No. Or I don't think so," he admitted. "We didn't really see each other that often, but when we did we got along well enough." He paused, ears folding back as he looked down. "I…ah…I was the one that helped her get her first job with the Bigs."

"And you think Mr. Big knew it was her?" Judy asked. "Why would he keep that from us?"

"I think he suspected it was her. Far as I know not many bats work for him." Nick paused, then shook his head and gave a tense laugh. "Flying fox. She's always insisting that everyone call her a flying fox. S'why she first got my attention. Not many mammals want to have that tag hanging on them."

Somehow Judy managed a solemn smile, then gave Nick a light tug. "Come on. The best we can do for her now is make our report to the chief so we can get to work catching whoever did this."

It took another moment before Nick allowed himself to be led away. His tail was practically dragging on the floor and his posture remained slumped, but just moving again seemed to quell some of his emotions. Once the room was no longer in sight she released his arm, and considered taking his hand instead. She could feel eyes on them, however, and their behavior drew enough scrutiny without giving anyone reasons to speculate on their fitness to remain partners.

So she smiled up at him, lowering her voice so it would only carry to his ears. "Talk about it when we get home?"

At that Nick took a deep breath and his emotions seemed to practically fall away from him, replaced by that familiar cocky expression that she'd come to recognize as his emotional armor.

"When we get home," he promised.


	3. Stigma

**AN: Sorry for the delay on this one. Writing this chapter proved much more difficult than expected.**

* * *

Judy's parents always said that the only certainties in life were death and taxes. Since coming to work for the ZPD she'd added a third item to the list: paperwork. Any time there was an incident a report needed to be filed to document what happened. Every case required the involved officers fill out numerous forms, both to ensure that no evidence was lost and give the prosecution the information needed to charge a criminal. Completing all the paperwork was never difficult—it usually just involved answering the standard questions and giving an account of events as they transpired—but it was mind meltingly dull.

Which was why Judy usually took several days to work on them, spreading the monotony into manageable chunks, but with how little the case file contained right now and their success in identifying the victim getting this report out quickly was important so the information could be shared with the other officers working the case. That meant a couple of hours staring at a screen typing, rereading what she'd just written, and then revising it to make sure nothing got left out.

Usually Nick made these ordeals more bearable with his easy quips and relaxed outlook, but today he'd been noticeably withdrawn. Not quiet, he still happily engaged in conversation with her when prodded, but during the lulls she could tell he was worried about Brisa. Considering what he'd said at the hospital Judy couldn't help wondering if maybe he thought that he was in part responsible for the fruit bat being attacked. He had helped Brisa get work with Mr. Big in the past, after all.

Whatever problems Nick was having strayed far too close to personal matters for her to pry while they remained at work however, so she'd waited even during the train ride back to their apartment. Or more correctly their home, as she'd started thinking of it despite how modest it was. Considering the closet she'd moved out of it was still a significant step up, and privately she was simply pleased to have found anyplace willing to take them after how many complexes had turned them down to avoid some poorly defined problems that their "highly visible" relationship might attract. Frustrating as the ordeal had been at the time Judy couldn't complain about the results.

After they let themselves into the building Judy slipped a little closer to Nick and took his hand, silently squeezing it during the walk to their room. He squeezed back, then curled his tail around her side.

"Looks like you're just bursting to ask if I'm okay, Fluff."

Judy felt her ears warm. "That obvious?"

"Not really, but I can tell you're worried about me." Nick gave her hand another squeeze then released it so he could fish his keys from his pocket. "I'll be fine, I promise. Just…a lot to think about."

"Brisa?" Judy asked, hopping through the door while Nick held it open for her. Once inside she stretched and began to undo the fasteners that held her duty vest on. "Something you want to talk about?"

Nick hesitated in the doorway for just a second before he followed her in. "Not sure what I would say."

"Maybe in a little bit then," she suggested, giving her body a light shake once she had the vest properly hung up, then looked back at Nick over her shoulder. "Was thinking I would spend my 'mandatory alone time' soaking in the bath. That okay with you?"

"You've really taken to doing that, haven't you?"

The playfully teasing tone Nick took was enough to make her blush. "I happen to find baths relaxing, and you know my last place wasn't big enough for a tub."

"Hey, I wasn't criticizing. Just taking the time to notice what my girlfriend likes," he said, both hands held up as he moved closer. Next thing she knew he was hugging her close, smiling as his nose lightly bumped against hers. "Enjoy the bath, sweetheart. Think I'll spend my time reading or something."

Judy returned the hug and placed a quick kiss on his lips before she pulled back and promptly headed to the bathroom. Once the door was closed she set her phone's timer for half an hour, put on her relaxation play list, and filled the tub.

Being able to get out of uniform after a long day always put her at ease, not that she found the clothing uncomfortable. Wearing the uniform meant she was at work, however, and with that came the knowledge that mammals were constantly watching her. Judging. Considering her background she supposed that was to be expected. She was the first (and still only) bunny on the force, so there were a number of other smaller mammals that looked up to her while others seemed eager to find some aspect of her service they could hold up as proof that she had no business working in law enforcement. Then there was her relationship with Nick, also the first of his species to join the ZPD, and their arrangement with the Chief that had them pressed firmly against the limits of what regulation allowed—to say nothing of how scandalized some mammals acted by the mere notion that a bunny could fall for a fox. That last bit was enough to put them both under a mountain of scrutiny by itself.

Out of uniform she could at least stop worrying about what image she presented to the world and simply be herself, or rather doing so was easier. There were enough bunnies in the city that it was possible to pass unnoticed unless she was on a date with Nick. Occasionally she saw recognition on another mammal's face, but they rarely worked up the nerve to confirm her identity by asking.

The moment the water level rose high enough Judy carefully dipped her feet into the water while sitting on the edge of the tub. She curled her toes a few times, feeling the heat melting away some of her tension, then finally slipped in with a sigh and settled back with her eyes closed. The soothing warmth coupled with the mellow music carried away the day's stress.

Even with her body completely submerged it took a decent while for the water to completely soak through the shorter down hairs of her fur coat. By the time it happened the bath had already begun to cool. A good shake after draining the tub was enough to lose most of the excess water, and although she was still dripping when she stepped out a simple towel was could handle the rest.

For the remainder of the time she brushed herself, removing all the dead hair the soak had freed. Then another pass with the brush, this time with some fur oil so she wouldn't get frizzy. She was nearly finished when the alarm finally went off and she changed into a loose fitting t-shirt and matching shorts.

She reemerged to find Nick in his favorite spot, sprawled across their couch. He had one of those pulp novels he enjoyed during his free time, but the room's ceiling seemed to be doing a better job of holding his attention. The book wasn't even open.

"You look pensive," she said, coming over to stand near the armrest. "Doing okay?"

Nick blinked a couple times, then looked up at her. "Huh? Oh, I just couldn't seem to focus on the story."

He put his book aside as he spoke, then sat up to make room on the couch. Once Judy claimed the offered space he promptly settled down again, resting his head in her lap.

"Hey, I thought you were making room for me!"

Nick grinned. "But your fur is so soft when you get out of the tub."

"And still damp," she reminded him, giggling lightly.

Rather than move, Nick made a show of settling in and blew a kiss in her direction. "Maybe getting a little wet is worth it."

"Must be feeling better then, if you're being this insufferable," Judy commented, blowing a kiss back. "Come on, sit up."

"A little," he admitted, his tail flitting. "At least I feel like I have a better handle on it."

"Sure you didn't think of her as a friend?"

"Yeah." Nick gave a shrug. "We only ran into each other a couple of times a year. Never planned. Always just business. I liked her because she was easy to work with, and didn't care that I was a fox, probably because bats get it just as badly as foxes do."

Judy let her fingers run through the fur on Nick's head, seeking out one of the spots just behind his ears. "Friendly acquaintance then?"

Nick nodded, his head tilted just enough to help her find the right spot. "Pretty much, and I think that is why I care so much. Usually when we're responding to some crime it is just some random mammal on the street, right? Not someone I know." He paused long enough to look up into her eyes. "Am I too involved? Should ask the chief to take me off this one?"

"That doesn't seem necessary. I don't think being upset when someone is hurt-" Judy began, then tilted her head to one side. "Unless there is something else bothering you about it?"

"I don't…" Nick sighed and closed his eyes, shaking his head. "Not really sure how to explain without making it really creepy."

Judy blinked, then smiled as she stroked over Nick's head and leaned in to give him a soft kiss. "Forgive me if I have trouble imagining you being creepy. Maybe a pain in my tail sometimes, but you don't have a mean bone in your body."

A laugh slipped out of Nick and he sat up, his ears dipped back briefly. "Thanks sweetheart, but that's taking it a bit far. We both know that isn't quite true." He took a breath then let it out, his mirth draining away. "I could smell her blood, Judy. Even with all those scent neutralizers they pump into the hospital I could smell how badly she was hurt."

With that Judy felt things begin clicking into place in her mind. Nick was always uneasy around blood. Not to the point of a phobia, but even small amounts of it could make him uncomfortable.

She scooted closer, one hand resting on Nick's arm. "Does it bother you that much?"

"No." Nick looked away for a moment, then closed his eyes. "Yes. I mean it isn't really the blood exactly."

"It's that this time it belonged to someone you know," Judy guessed.

Nick nodded. "Partly, anyway."

"Partly?"

He glanced at her, a string of emotions playing across his face before he looked down at his lap. His hand found hers and he squeezed a little tighter than normal. "It smells good, Carrots."

"It does?" she asked, then mentally kicked herself for how surprised she sounded. "I mean…I wouldn't know. I thought you didn't like the scent of blood."

"I don't like that it smells good," Nick said. He squeezed her hand again. "I don't like that the worse someone is hurt the better it smells. And Briza's blood? It smelled amazing. I hate that. I hate that if someone I care about gets hurt my first thought will be about how wonderful their blood smells."

Judy's ears came up for a moment as she processed that, then dipped back down. Her mouth opened to say something, only what could she say? Something reassuring surely, but no words came to her just then so she simply scooted into Nick's lap instead and rested a hand on his cheek to prevent him from looking away.

"I'm guessing this is something a lot of preds deal with?" she asked, speaking gently.

"Don't know," Nick said, barely even whispering. "Maybe? It isn't exactly a safe topic for conversation. There are enough prey mammals that distrust predators without something like this getting out."

There it was; the flicker of guilt on Nick's face made that clear. Given the state of the city it wasn't even an unreasonable concern, but even so she realized there was something else to it. Prey might not understand and judge predators, judge him, if they found out. And if that was true, what would his bunny girlfriend think?

Again Judy found that she couldn't think of anything to say, so she did the next best thing and hugged him tightly. His body was tense, his arms hesitating before he wrapped them around her. Something akin to a shiver ran through him. A full minute passed before Judy pulled back just enough to look back up into Nick's eyes.

"I love you. Thank you for trusting me," she said, then leaned in for a proper kiss.


	4. Hot Chocolate and Snow Flakes

Nick awoke with an uneasy tightness in his chest. One glance out the window told him the sun had yet to rise, although judging by how rested he felt it couldn't be more than an hour or two away. A light sigh slipped from him and he rolled onto his side then curled slightly around Judy's smaller frame in an attempt to sink back into unconsciousness.

Several minutes later he decided it was a lost cause. His mind had already sprung to life with a whirlwind of different thoughts so intense that remaining still actually made him more anxious. Everything in him called out for him to get up, to move, to do something.

With a light groan, his eyes reopened to look down at Judy, and he cursed his brain for doing this to him. They had the day off, and with how much overtime they pulled recently the chief wasn't about to call them in again for anything short of the city collapsing into anarchy. There were already plans in place. Today was supposed to be about them, not work.

His thoughts refused to relent.

Ears back, he leaned in and gave Judy a soft lick between the ears, then dipped his head down to give her cheek a nuzzle. "Carrots? Sweetheart?"

Judy's breath hitched lightly before she let out a yawn, stretching out before beginning to snuggle back against him. "Mmmm? Nick?" she mumbled, still mostly asleep. "What time is it?"

"Too early," he said gently, tracing over her side with the back of his hand. "Can't get to sleep though. Thinking about going for a walk and wanted you to know."

She reached blindly for her phone, then pulled it to her face. "Nick, it's not even five yet."

"I know, I just can't get back to sleep." His ears folded back for a moment until he had a thought. "Tell you what, I'll pick up something nice for breakfast while I'm out."

"Mmmph…" Judy rolled over to face him. "Muffins."

Nick scoffed. "Muffins? Really? I'm offering to get you something nice to wake up to and the thing you ask for is muffins?"

Judy stuck out her tongue. "I feel like muffins. So what?"

"Then I suppose muffins it is." Nick planted a light kiss on her nose, then another on her lips.

Just as he was about to draw back, Judy grabbed hold of his shoulders and pulled him in for a second, deeper kiss. Half a minute later she released him once more, then hugged a pillow close and curled around it while he tried to catch his breath.

"Enjoy your walk love," she said, then stifled a yawn. "Stay safe."

"Promise."

With that Nick slipped out of bed and got cleaned up just enough to be presentable, forgoing the usual quick shower since there wasn't any need to bother with the scent neutralizing shampoo. Not today at least.

Twenty minutes later he was out in the night air, enjoying the way Judy's scent hovered about. His fur fluffed out against the pre-dawn chill while he waited on the taxi he'd called, already turning the situation over in his mind. Finnick wasn't going to be happy. In fact, Nick was willing to guess that a lot of mammals wouldn't be.

 _What am I doing?_ He wondered as he let out a sigh. _This is the sort of thing Judy would do. It isn't like me at all._

Normally Judy was the one who found herself fretting about cases when they were off-duty, not him. Occasionally he needed to step in, to remind her that she needed to have a life of her own. That was just the way she was built. Concern for others was a part of who she was, and a large part of what he admired about her.

In contrast, to him being an officer was a job. A good one, and he was certainly proud of his ability to serve. Without a doubt he much preferred helping others to his previous profession, if running scams could even be called that. Even so, it was still a job and he still looked forward to his time off. Perhaps Judy was rubbing off on him. Or maybe it was because this time the victim was someone he knew. Whatever the reason he found he simply wasn't able to let things sit where they were.

Which was why he found himself getting out of the taxi in a neighborhood with a less than savory reputation. He wasn't concerned though, he still felt completely comfortable even though it had been a couple of years since he'd frequented these areas. Granted having the right friends certainly helped.

It took a bit of walking, but he found what he'd been looking for without much trouble: Finnick's van tucked away into a side alley. The sun was just barely beginning to peek over the horizon as he walked up to the vehicle and knocked on the back doors. Then he knocked again for good measure and swiftly got out of the way.

Sure enough Finnick came bursting out with bat in hand. "Don't ya know what time it is?"

"Hello to you too," Nick said dryly, unable to stop himself from smiling. "Still grouchy in the morning I see."

Confusion played across Finnick's face, the bat lowering slowly. "Nick? Why in the world are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?"

"Come on, you know this isn't even close to the earliest I've come knocking," he said, head tilted to one side. "Honestly figured you'd be used to this. Sleeping in a van on the street is practically asking for it."

"No. No no no no no," Finnick said, pointing his bat at Nick's chest. "Don't you dare get started. It's too early for this shit, Nick. I know we're still pals, but why are you here?"

Nick braced himself. "Listen, I'm gonna level with you. I need a favor for a case."

Finnick stared at him, ears perked up. "Thought I told you I'm not in the mood for your stupid jokes," he said, giving a humorless chuckle. "You must be joking, my man, because there is no way you're stupid enough ask for something like that. I know you gots to be careful about who you're seen with, and you ought to know that I can't get all buddy buddy with no cops."

"You heard that someone got attacked on Mr. Big's property?" Nick asked, choosing to plow ahead over the objection.

"Nick! Shut your mouth," Finnick warned. "Even if I did there's no way—"

Nick raised his voice to speak over his old partner in crime. "Brisa was the one they went after. Did you know that?" He paused just long enough for that to register in the smaller fox's brain before he continued. "She was hurt, bad, and they took everything she had on her before the police could arrive."

Finnick blinked, then let out a light growl as he looked away. "You think it matters that it was her this time?"

"Doesn't it? Are you really going to pretend you don't care?"

"That isn't fair and you damn well know it," Finnick snapped, his grip tightening on the bat as if he could throttle it. "Of course I care, but that don't mean I can do nothing to help ya, boy-o."

"Yes it does, you're just too afraid," Nick said, drawing a sharp look from the smaller fox. "You didn't even bother to find out what sort of help I wanted."

"Because you know there ain't no kinda help I can give a cop without getting cut outta everything." Finnick snarled and threw his bat back into the van. "Crime bosses aren't exactly known for being understanding."

"Well in this case you got a crime boss that is eager for the ZPD to clear his name, and all I'm asking for is to be pointed at where Brisa's been staying," Nick said, then leaned in a bit closer and lowered his voice. "Come on, I know you want to do this. Brisa was always good to us, we owe her at least this much."

Finnick glared at him, ears pinned back. "Now you're just playing dirty," he rumbled, then let out something akin to a hiss. "Fine, if it'll get ya off my back I'll see what I can do. Just don't expect much, right? Lotta mammals liked Brisa, but that don't mean they're gonna be eager to be seen talking to no cop."

"Then just have them call me," Nick said before he gave Finnick a significant look. "And maybe point out that if they don't help me on this it's going to mean I'll have to go digging around on my own. In a whole bunch of places I know they aren't going to want to see me. With a ZPD task force at my back."

"You're bluffing."

He gave his friend a look. "Are you sure?"

Finnick turned away again, clicking his tongue. "Not gonna make yourself any friends with this you know. Everyone's gonna assume it means you've gone fully to the other side."

"You know what?" Nick said, giving his friend a tiny smile. "I don't think that really bothers me anymore."

* * *

When Judy finally woke back up she was surprised to find that Nick still hadn't returned, and her first reaction was to worry that he'd had an accident until she checked her phone and saw he'd sent a text an hour ago saying he'd just gotten the muffins and was arranging for some sort of surprise as well. That brought her a smile as she wondered what the mischievous fox had planned for their day off. Knowing him it could be almost anything. A few times he'd caught her off-guard with a gag gift just to make her smile, but there were others where he went for something decidedly more romantic and meaningful. She shot him a quick text to let him know that she was awake and looking forward to whatever he had planned, then started on her morning exercises while she considered what to do until he returned.

There was always work of course, but during their time together she had gradually come to accept Nick's belief that she needed to set aside at least some time that didn't involve her career. There was also the possibility of calling home, but with the recent surge in violence she knew her parents would begin harping on how dangerous her job was and how they worried for her safety. Telling them that she was investigating a brutal assault that was somehow connected to one of the city's most notorious crime bosses wasn't likely to calm their nerves any. As for chores…well, she didn't really feel like attending to those first thing in the morning. In any case, Nick could get back at any time and she wouldn't want to start something only to leave it half finished.

Ultimately she began to surf the web on her phone, mostly skimming the local news until she happened to stumble upon a tabloid piece that featured a picture of the last date she and Nick had gone on. Judging by the angle the photographer had been inside the building with them. How he'd managed to get it without them noticing she didn't know, but that was actually the least of her concerns. What really bothered her was the article's tone as it speculated if the romantic outing "was a one-off fluke, or signaled they have moved past the problems they'd been seen having several months ago."

She allowed herself to silently fume for a few minutes. Even after all this time she still could not get used to the way some publications only saw her relationship with Nick as something they could use to get a few more clicks. Most of the time she went out of her way to avoid looking at any of them, but that didn't change how unbelievably creepy it was. There was no telling how many mammals were out there trying to get a few choice pictures of her while she was with Nick, and every time they were successful she found herself wondering how. The feelings it gave her came uncomfortably close to the way she'd felt after Nick learned that Flip had broken into her last apartment.

It was also a sharp reminder that every step (and misstep) their relationship took was being watched by mammals with some opinion on predator/prey pairings. She knew better than to check the comments, but couldn't completely contain her curiosity so she ended up visiting a site she hadn't been to in over a month: the _Lifeline_ forums.

Returning to the forums felt a little strange after her long absence from them. Nothing specific had made her stop going, it just sort of eventually fell off her list of things to do once she felt comfortable enough to navigate her relationship with Nick alone. Then there had been the uptick in the amount of trouble the ZPD had been dealing with. And of course there was the oddity of seeing her open relationship with Nick being a frequent topic of discussion on the boards, and her worries that if she wasn't careful she might accidentally out herself.

She carefully avoided any sub-boards that might have a discussion about her and Nick, not because she was worried about what she would find but rather because it felt weird to watch so many mammals discuss and second guess everything she did with her boyfriend. In a strange way it was actually worse than the mammals that kept looking for something to indicate that a fox and a rabbit couldn't work. Although nobody on the forum explicitly said it, she could tell that many of them felt that both she and Nick were standard bearers of a sort, and that as such everything they did would reflect on every predator/prey relationship. The forum members wanted this to succeed, but nobody really seemed to know what that meant or how to bring it about.

Judy very much wanted to do right by them, but that was a lot of pressure to put on a single couple. Perhaps too much. There was always the temptation to assume the forum users always knew best, and to do what they wanted simply because it would make them happy.

So she mostly kept to the information and advice boards now. Even lurking as she usually did it was possible to learn quite a bit. Sometimes she even got the chance to chime in with some advice of her own, and in rare instances it had been someplace she could run to ask for help or to find someone who might be able to help her understand Nick's occasional fox-isms a little better. Today she wasn't actually looking for anything in particular, but she stumbled across a list of restaurants that catered to both predator and prey tastes, and apparently didn't mind such mixed couples dating openly.

As she was copying the business names down so she would be able to look them up later her ears caught the sound of Nick humming as he returned. A smile came to her lips as she listened to the tune. This morning he'd sounded anxious, but apparently his time out had improved his mood.

Or maybe he was just looking forward to today as much as she was.

"Honey, I'm home!" he called out in a sing-song voice once the door opened, ambling inside with a box.

Judy rolled her eyes. "That reference is old, even for you," she said, then paused as the scent of fresh-baked muffins filled their living room, prompting her stomach to remind her that she still hadn't eaten. "Those smell delicious. Thank you."

"Anything for you," he said, then brought the box over and opened it.

Inside sat ten muffins, as well as two conspicuously empty spots. When she gave Nick a look he returned it with an impish smile.

"I might have helped myself on the way home," he admitted.

She squinted at him and slowly picked up a muffin, then went up onto her toes to give a quick peck to his lips before hopping over to the couch to settle in. "I suppose I'll just have to eat by myself then," she said, carefully tearing a chunk off the top of her muffin. "So is that the surprise? You ate a couple of my muffins?"

"Your muffins? I'm the one that got them, you silly doe."

"Yes. For me," she said with a grin, then popped the chunk into her mouth and chewed slowly.

"No, that wasn't the surprise," Nick chuckled, his tail swishing slowly. "Just decided we should make the most of today, with how bad work has been lately, and thought of a place I think you would enjoy that I don't think you've been to yet."

"Really? After this long I was sure I've seen pretty much everything."

"Seen maybe, but I doubt you've ever gotten a good look. Or been inside." Nick leaned closer to nuzzle teasingly along her cheek and down to her neck. "Especially since the good chief keeps us away from Tundra Town because of someone's mob connections."

"You're one to talk," she giggled. "Tundra Town? Should I dress warm?"

"You know, that's a good question," Nick said. "I mean, you're pretty hot so maybe you'll be fine."

Judy stopped mid-chew to stare at him. "Nick?"

"Yes?"

"That was terrible."

* * *

Judy lightly hugged herself when she got off the train, thankful that she'd decided to go with her purple turtleneck. A light, artificial snow was falling and there was just enough of a breeze that without the sweater she was sure to feel a bit of a chill. Nothing too extreme of course. While Tundra Town did cater mostly to mammals that preferred colder climates some compromises had been made to accommodate visitors that favored milder conditions, leaving room for businesses to serve anyone looking for a more extreme experience.

So far Nick had refused to tell her what surprise he'd cooked up. All he'd been willing to reveal was that it was some sort of park that hosted art exhibits. Vague as that was, it was enough to pique her curiosity. Zootopia hosted it's fair share of art galleries, mostly in Savanna Central or Sahara Square, but never before had she considered one would be hosted outside. Curators were so worried about keeping their exhibits from being damaged she had trouble believing that they would willingly expose their displays to the weather.

The mystery didn't last long, however. As they exited the station she found herself looking at the fenced in park's entrance: the Bauer Ice Garden. She actually came to a stop, eyes wide as she saw a startling array of ice sculptures housed within. In the very center of the park was a ferris wheel, not a particularly large one by any means, but its mere presence sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine.

"Better pick your jaw up off the ground before a bug flies in there, Carrots," Nick chuckled. "Although I suppose there aren't many of those out when it's this cold."

She took hold of his arm and gave it a squeeze. "You are taking me on that ferris wheel."

"Somehow I expected that," he said, then gave her a smile. "That's why I made sure it would be running today before bringing you, but let's take a look at the exhibits first. Then we can get some hot chocolate to sip during the ride. Sound good?"

"Do they really count as exhibits? I mean it says this is a park."

"Well, someone makes all the sculptures. There's actually quite a range, and because they slowly lose detail over time they regularly get replaced," Nick explained, his tail slowly swishing. "It isn't too uncommon to find someone working on a new sculpture either."

Soon enough Judy learned that Nick had been right. In the past the only ice sculptures she'd seen had been on TV, usually as some sort of centerpiece to a buffet at a lavish party and almost always depicting something cliche, like a swan. A cheap attempt to convey how lavish and elegant an event was, she supposed, but none of the sculptures in the ice garden fell into those categories.

Instead what she found ranged from modern art that consisted of abstract, geometric sculptures to ice statues that depicted mammals of every shape and size doing any number of things. Her favorite ones ended up being a number of tiny sculptures of mice that were scattered through the entire park, often hidden, and always doing interesting things. One set had them playing a game of frisbee, while another that was hidden behind a bush appeared to be some sort of tea party. Each one was so detailed that she felt sure they were created by a smaller mammal until Nick informed her that they were actually each made by the garden's owner, a reindeer, who carved them with jeweler's tools to create a kind of hide and seek game the visitors could play.

Nick tended to favor the more abstract ice sculptures. His favorite was a canine of some sort that appeared to be playing a trumpet…only the mammal was made of cubes, rectangles, and triangles, and the trumpet was a simple cone. He also seemed to enjoy looking at the older sculptures that had began to lose detail as they melted and re-froze day after day, gradually becoming less distinct as time wore on.

"About a decade ago they actually managed to carve a miniature castle out of ice that mammals could explore," Nick said when they came across what looked like a tiny doll house. "I don't think an elephant or rhino would fit, not that many of those come out this way, but anyone smaller than that could go in. The thing took up about two thirds of the park."

"That sounds like a ton of work." Judy scanned the park for a moment, noting how large the lot was. "What was it like?"

"Donno. One of the rooms collapsed before I had a chance to visit. Thankfully it happened at night so nobody was hurt, but they ended up bulldozing it just to be safe. I think they haven't done it since because they don't want to risk having an accident," he said, then shrugged his shoulders. "There are some pictures online and those look fairly detailed though, so it must have been quite the experience. Sometimes they still make buildings, but they tend to be much smaller now and they don't let anyone go inside."

Judy's ears dipped slightly at that as she stared at a sculpture that had been placed on a bench that retained just enough detail to be immediately recognizable as a polar bear. "Oh. I guess that would be something to worry about."

Nick brushed a finger over one of her ears, propping it up. "You should be glad. They got the ferris wheel a few months after."

A slight blush warmed the inside of Judy's ears and she looked up at him, her tail wiggling a few times behind her. "Well you didn't tell me that." She gave a slightly exaggerated huff, smiled at him. "Still, it's a little sad to find out there's an experience you've missed out on completely."

"Oh? I should have seen that coming," Nick said, a mischievous smile spreading across his muzzle.

"Why's that?"

Nick puffed himself up a bit more, his eyes practically gleaming. "Because you've been so eager to experience all sorts of things no other bunny has had the privilege of—"

"Ah! Nick!" She nearly shouted at him as she blushed full force, swatting at him with both hands. "Shush."

He burst out laughing, playfully recoiling from her flailing as his tail wrapped around her side. "I'm only teasing," he assured her, then leaned down to lay a kiss between her ears. "Besides, you could say the same thing about me, mmm?"

The blush continued to burn in Judy ears, but she couldn't help giggling at his statement. She gave his tail a quick hug before releasing it in favor of taking his hand and pulling him in the direction of the ferris wheel.

"Come on, you've kept me waiting long enough. I've always wanted to ride one of these."

Nick followed willingly. "Really? Is that a girl thing?"

"Ferris wheels?" She tilted her head as she peered up at him. "I think it is a romance thing. Kinda a cliche scene, but you know…"

"No, I was talking about things that go in circles," Nick said, as if that cleared everything up. When she gave him a look his ears dipped ever so slightly and he offered a sheepish grin. "My mom always loved merry-go-rounds. Any time she saw one she insisted on riding it."

"That is just two women, Nick, that hardly counts as a—"

"Also have an ex who loved the tilt-a-whirl," he continued, practically beaming with satisfaction. "And another that liked the spinning cups. And a third that enjoyed those viking boat ride thingies that spin you upside down."

Judy huffed lightly. "Did you ever consider that maybe us girls enjoy carnival rides too?"

It wasn't until Nick started laughing and brushed his tail along her side that she realized that he was just messing with her. "How about I go get those hot chocolates before I put my foot in my mouth," he suggested with a wink. "You can go save us a spot in line for the next ride."

"Yeah, sure, just run away," she called after him, beaming.

Because of the snow there wasn't much of a reason to save a spot in line; there were only a half-dozen couples waiting. Seeing them made her feel a little self-conscious, knowing that a fox and bunny would surely stick out when the other couples were all traditional pairings. Part of her was a little glad that Nick wasn't there when she got in line since she'd draw less notice that way, and wondered if that was why he was buying drinks while she got them a place. As always guilt followed close on the heels of that. She gave her head a tiny shake, then gave her ears a determined tilt as she prepared herself for the looks and whispered comments that were sure to come.

It didn't take long to start. Less than a minute after Nick returned and handed her a cup of hot chocolate that was almost too hot she began to notice they were getting curious looks, followed shortly by recognition. As usual she made it a point not to acknowledge them, and instead nestled against Nick's side as she blew over her cup to help it cool. Talking helped, even if it was just idle chatter to distract her from whispered comments. Even so she felt a familiar tension, and was only able to start relaxing again when they were seated in a gondola.

"Doing okay?" Nick whispered once they pulled away from the loading platform.

She nestled against his side, hands wrapped around the warm cup. "Yeah. Some days it just gets to me more than others. Wish I could be a little more like you and just ignore it."

Nick wrapped his tail around her as he plucked a marshmallow from his drink with his claws, then tossed it into his mouth. "I don't ignore it, love. I just…" his ears dipped back while he fished for the right word. "Well…more used to this sort of thing. At least in this case it's happening because of something I chose, someone worth all the looks, and not just because I'm a fox. That makes it easier."

She hmmmed lightly and took a tiny sip of her drink to test the temperature. The rich flavor of chocolate flooded over her tongue, warming her body on the way down.

"You're right," she said quietly, sharing a private smile with him. "Sometimes I wish it was easier, but this is worth—"

"Hold that thought for just a second, Carrots," Nick said, interrupting her. Before she could say anything more he leaned in and licked her nose. "Had a little cream on your nose."

Her body warmed in a way that had absolutely nothing to do with the hot chocolate, and she quickly stole a kiss before he could get away. "Thanks."

Just like that everything else melted away. The chill in the air managed to nip at her ears from time to time, but pressed against the heat of Nick's body, and with the glowing warmth coming from the paper cup her hands were wrapped around, she barely even noticed it. They cuddled, and talked, and traded kisses while snowflakes danced in the air around them until at some point the ferris wheel crawled to a stop with them nearly all the way up. Unable to resist, Judy scooted into Nick's lap and tilted her head, drawing him into a proper kiss that she allowed to linger until her lungs began to ache.

When she finally pulled away Nick's ears had dipped back bashfully. "Wow," he murmured. "To think, I expected you to spend most of the ride looking out at the city."

"I'm sure it'll still be there later," she whispered, then gave him a second, softer kiss.


	5. Spare the Rod

"Wilde. My Office. Now."

Judy blinked in surprise. It wasn't exactly unusual for Nick to land in hot water, although he'd gotten much better about it as he grew more comfortable with being a cop. There were times where his snark still got them in trouble, when he was in a bad mood or interacted with someone who had particularly thin skin. Then, to top it all off, his unorthodox methods sometimes upset prosecutors and defense attorneys alike even though he took pains to never technically violate the law. This was the first time in quite a while that she didn't have any idea what he'd done, however.

She sighed and gave Nick a look, then started to get up when Chief Uncia stopped her. "You're not in trouble, Hopps. I only need to speak with your partner."

For just a second Judy started to relax, simply glad that whatever Nick had done he'd at least had the sense to avoid getting her involved. It was quickly replaced by concern for her partner.

"Sir, are you sure you don't need me? You still haven't given us our assignment," she hinted, looking up at the snow leopard.

"I'm keeping both of you looking into that Tundra Town assault. Clawhauser is holding onto the updated case file for you," the chief said, then narrowed her eyes as she regarded Nick once more. "As for your partner, don't worry. This shouldn't take long."

Nick jumped down from their shared chair, then stretched once he landed. "It doubt you need to worry, Carrots. You know I've been good lately."

His confident tone would have been reassuring, but the snort Captain Uncia gave as she stalked out of the room ruined the effect. Nick played it off just the same, giving her a wink before he followed the feline up to her office.

"Meet you by the front desk in a few," he said, waving once before passing out of sight.

Judy bit her tongue, giving a slight shake of her head as he left, then muttered quietly to herself. "One of these days the chief is going to nail his tail to a wall."

Apparently she spoke more loudly than she thought because Lowell barked out a particularly wolfish laugh. "You sure about that Hopps? I think the chief likes him."

"I don't know if I'd use the word 'likes', but she gets along with him better than Bogo ever did," Francine said, gesturing vaguely with her trunk. "I mean, if she was gonna do something about him she would've by now, right?"

Wolford shook his head, tail wagging slowly. "He's been in trouble with Uncia before. Remember the red pudding incident?" he said, drawing a few groans from the others. "That said, she sure doesn't yell at him like Bogo did."

"Only because nobody can yell like Bogo did," Snarlof said. The large polar bear pushed himself up, scratching his chin as he did. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to head down into the evidence lockers apparently. I suggest the rest of you see to your duties as well."

Lowell watched the polar bear depart, then checked his phone and sighed. "Unfortunately the killjoy is right. See you all later."

As everyone else began to file out Judy decided to make a quick stop by her desk to make sure nothing had come in for her overnight before swinging back to the front to find Clawhauser dancing in place behind the reception desk. Nothing unsuited to work, little more than bouncing lightly in place as he wiggled and moved his hand in time to some internal beat. Despite the cheetah's weight it looked quite good, and he was enjoying himself so much Judy couldn't help grinning as she approached.

"I take it you finally decided to try out that dancing class, Ben?" she asked.

"Started just this weekend," he said, practically beaming while giving his hips a shake. "The instructor is super nice. She says I've got natural rhythm."

"Looks like you had a great time. You're practically bouncing with energy; someone might mistake you for a bunny," Judy laughed, giving the larger feline a wink.

Clawhauser blushed, coming to a stop. "I doubt it, I'm much too big. Plus I get tired really quick. Even this little bit gets me panting before long."

"I'm sure you'll be able to do more with practice," she assured him, still smiling.

"Thanks. To be honest I'm still a little self-conscious about it since I'm such a dough ball. I'm pretty much the heaviest guy there."

"Well what I saw looked great. Plus I've heard dancing is a great way to get in shape, so I'll bet that'll change if you keep it up," she said, then lowered her voice. "Plus you know a lot of ladies love a guy that can dance."

The cheetah's ears folded back as his blush deepened. "You stop that."

"Well, since you aren't in the mood for compliments how about you give me the case file for the Tundra Town assault."

"Oh, the Chief has you working on that one?" Clawhauser asked, beginning to search his desk. He found the file quickly enough, tucked among a pile of folders, and handed it over. "Doesn't she usually keep you two away from that area?"

Just from the size of the folder Judy could tell there was more in there than the last time she'd read it over, but it didn't look that substantial. She accepted it and quickly flipped through the pages. Several officer reports, her's and Nick's included, a catalog of evidence, and witness interviews. Her ears tilted toward Clawhauser as she began to skim over it.

Judy gave a little sigh. "Yeah, but this time we were requested."

"Really? That is. So. Cool! You're making a name for yourself, girl."

The large cheetah's enthusiasm was so contagious that Judy hated to bring him back down. "Not really. It was Mr. Big who asked, and I guess the higher ups are hoping that he'll let his guard down around me."

"Oh, I suppose that does make it less fun," Clawhauser said, his ears beginning to dip down. He recovered quickly though. "Although this is kinda like those Jack Savage movies. You're like a…a double agent."

She blinked. "Claw, if I'm a double agent it means I'm working for the mob."

"Triple agent then."

"I suppose." She shook her head and looked back at the file, grinning to herself.

Evidence was still very much on the light side. The slashes on Brisa's back had been documented, but they were awaiting an expert to tell them what kind of mammal they came from. Likewise the fruit bat's clothing and pack had been collected, but it would take at least a few days for the CSI's to properly check everything for transfer evidence. Everything taken off of Brisa herself—particulate, scrapings from under her claws, and the images of the bruises on her body—were slated to be processed today.

The interviews were, for the most part, even less useful. Nearly all of them involved mammals who were certainly employed by Mr. Big, which made them suspect right out the gate. Their stories were all consistent to a fault. In fact, they were so consistent she suspected every mammal had been coached except for one: the young moose who had made the call. Apparently he had seen Brisa fall out of the sky "in a confusing tangle of flapping wings."

Just as Judy was about to give up on the file she decided to glance over what information they had managed to find about Brisa and was shocked to find they had an address. No, not just an address, but several. Residence, hangouts, and even a number of past employers. She stared at it all, practically able to see the case opening up in front of her even as she wondered how they'd managed to find it all. A second later she looked in the direction of Chief Uncia's office, feeling her tail quiver as she realized that she almost certainly already knew the answer.

* * *

"Alright. What did you do?"

Nick looked up at Uncia with his ears tilted back, honestly at a loss. She didn't exactly appear to be angry. Annoyed was a better word. Or perhaps harried.

"Um, I do a lot of things. You're going to need to be more specific, chief."

"One of these days you are going to realize that it isn't a good thing that you need me to clarify these sorts of questions," Uncia said, one hand going to her head. "Why is the ZPD tip line practically ringing off the hook with information about that bat victim of yours?"

"You have to be exaggerating," Nick said, though his ears perked up expectantly.

"I'm not. The line has been getting a constant stream of calls since yesterday afternoon," Uncia said, then scowled as the fox began to laugh. "It is not funny."

"Yes, it is. I expected to get three, maybe four, tips," he said, shaking his head. "If I knew there were this many mammals worried about my becoming a cop I would have done this ages ago."

"Wilde! Stop patting yourself on the back," the chief growled.

Nick tried to stifle his laughter. "Sorry, I honestly had no idea this would happen. Are we getting anything useful?"

"Yes," Uncia admitted with a sigh. "More than we know what to do with, but that line serves the whole ZPD. Whatever you did, undo it before the commissioner starts asking questions."

Suddenly things didn't seem quite so amusing. "Oh…um…of course, chief," Nick said, his ears dipping back. "I'll need to make a call, and it'll probably take a bit for word to get around though."

"Whatever it takes, Officer Wilde," Uncia said, giving him a significant look. "I'm sure neither of us wants this to go any further than it has to."

"No chief. Of course not. I'll go make the call now," he said, already headed for the exit.

Before he reached the door the chief called out once more. "Wilde?"

"Yes?" he asked, hand hovering just over the knob as he cringed slightly.

"Good job. Don't do it again."

For just a second he considered accepting the praise with a witty quip, but quickly decided against pressing his luck and left while he still had the chance. Once in the hall he sent Finnick a text thanking him for the help, then asked him to spread the word that he already had what he needed. For good measure (and to ensure the other fox continued to play along) he let his old buddy know that he'd remember the favor. Then it was back downstairs to find Judy, who was practically quivering with her need to get moving.

"Come on Nick," she said the second she laid eyes on him. "Could you possibly walk any slower? We need to get moving."

He gave her a smile, then paused to give Clawhauser a wave before answering. "I don't know. Would you like me to try?"

That earned him an elbow in the side. "Not funny."

"I donno, I think it was a little funny," Clawhauser said, earning himself an annoyed scowl from Judy.

"Thanks Ben." He gave the cheetah a quick hi-five, then grinned down at Judy. "My mother used to warn me that you shouldn't ask questions you don't want to know the answer to."

"Yeah, well right now we got some leads to run down," Judy said, waving the case file in front of him, "including Brisa's home address."

"Wait, really?" he asked and tried to take the file from Judy, but she pulled it away too fast and shot him a grin.

"You can have it once we're in the cruiser," she said smugly.

"That's playing dirty," he said, though he couldn't help smiling just the same. "Alright, you win. See you later, Claw."

Clawhauser waved as they left. "You too. Good luck."

On the way to the cruiser Nick tried to get the file from Judy, but she kept to her word and refused to hand it over until he'd gotten inside and buckled his seat belt. Once she'd finally relinquished it he immediately began to scan the contents. He was immediately struck by just how many entries there were under the "anonymous tips" section, including the address to an apartment in the Rainforest District. He stared at the page for a moment, taken aback upon realizing that someone had even provided the address to her favorite coffee shop. Apparently Uncia hadn't been exaggerating, and given the response his stunt had generated he'd almost certainly burned through a sizable amount of the good will his past business partners had for him to boot. Hopefully that wouldn't cause problems later, but if it meant he could help Brisa then it was worth the price.

"So, why were you in trouble this time?" Judy asked when he had finished reading.

"I wasn't in trouble exactly," he said, prompting her to snort in disbelief. "Really. She was just kind of…making sure I hadn't overstepped."

Judy gave him a sideways look. "What did you do?"

"That is the exact same thing the chief asked," Nick said with a chuckle.

"Nick, honey?"

A shiver ran up his spine. "Yes?"

Judy gave him her biggest, sweetest smile. "You better tell me, or else."

* * *

"I can barely believe you did that," Judy said when Nick finished explaining, shooting him a critical look before pulling onto the road that would bring them to Brisa's apartment. "And I'm surprised that Finnick allowed you to talk him into it."

"It wasn't that big of a deal. Finnick might not act like it, but he is a huge softy sometimes. Most of the attitude is a front so that nobody tries to mess with him."

"Okay, I can see that, but didn't you just threaten a bunch of mammals to get what you wanted? They can't be happy about that," she pointed out.

"No, they can't," Nick said seriously, "but don't worry about it too much. They'll be pissed, but the simple fact is that most everyone who knew Brisa liked her. Lotta them probably would love to help the investigation, only if they did they'd be labeled a snitch."

Judy turned that over in her mind a few times, then blinked and looked over at her partner. "So you gave them an excuse."

He grinned back at her. "That's right. Sometimes all it takes is giving a mammal a reason to do what they already wanted. You'd be surprised how many scams work that way."

"Still shouldn't have done it," she said, her ears flicking back again.

He merely shrugged. "Yeah…well maybe it is worth it."

Judy merely shook her head in response as she finally pulled up to the building. The apartment complex wasn't quite what she'd expected. The Rainforest District was built vertically as much as it was horizontally, with much of the district located above the ground level, supported by the large trees that dominated the area. Even so the elevated locations were usually easily accessed from ground level thanks to an elevator. That wasn't the case in this instance however, as the only access appeared to be a shockingly steep stairway crammed between two large buildings with nothing but a sign that read "The Rafters Housing Complex: Your Home Above It All." The stairs were so steep that both she and Nick were forced down onto all fours to keep their footing.

When they finally reached the elevated platform the building rested upon even she was beginning to pant. At Nick's request they took a moment to catch their breath before heading inside, which gave them an opportunity to get a feel for the area. On its face the building looked to be just another apartment complex, albeit one on the cheaper end of the spectrum, however Nick began pointing out details that made him believe it was more of a dive than it seemed. The front face of the structure was in good condition despite being on the austere side, but the sides were covered with graffiti. Several of the windows had mammals peeking out, who Nick thought might be lookouts.

Why Brisa lived in a place like this, when according to Nick she was liked by many of the mammals that knew her, didn't quite add up in Judy's mind. Nick seemed unsurprised, however, so she filed the question away to ask later. Right then there was business to attend to.

Upon entering they headed straight for the superintendent's office, and were fortunate enough to find it still occupied by a middle-aged badger. The moment he laid eyes upon them he gave a slight start, then immediately began to grumble.

"Not again," he muttered as he massaged the bridge of his muzzle. "Can I help you, officers?"

"We just need to be let into one of the building's apartments," Nick said calmly, his tail flicking. "By the sound of it this isn't that unusual here. I hope it won't cause any problems?"

"Happens all the time. Feels like I only just sat down after the last cops went on their way," he said, twisting in his seat so he could reach the keys hanging on the wall behind him.

"Your cooperation is appreciated," Judy said cheerily, but the badger simply rolled his eyes as he pushed himself up and started out.

"Where are you going?"

"Room 411," Judy recalled, her ears tilting forward. "Tenant should be a fruit bat named Brisa."

The badger tsk'ed and headed for the stairwell. "Her again? What is that girl getting into?"

Judy glanced at Nick, but he merely shrugged. "You've been having trouble with her then?"

"Not normally, but this is twice the same day that cops have asked to see her place," the badger said. "She got a warrant out on her or something?"

Once again Judy looked at Nick, but again he didn't seem to have any answers. "No, she was the victim of an assault," she said, then tilted her ears forward. "You said the ZPD already came to see her room?"

"Yeah, one of your detectives."

"Did you catch a name?" Nick asked. "He's probably working the same case we are."

The badger sucked on his teeth for a moment. "Detective Claws? Or Clawson? Something like that. Snowleopard from Tundra Town I think."

"You wouldn't have happened to get his badge number by chance?" Judy asked hopefully when they reached the fourth floor.

"Never thought to write it down," the badger said gruffly. "No offense, but the ZPD comes around here so often there just isn't any point."

Her annoyance must have shown because Nick gave her a light nudge on the shoulder accompanied by an easygoing smile. "Hey, we can just call Clawhauser. I'm sure he can figure out who it was."

"I know, but you would think we would be told someone else was taking a look at this place," Judy groaned.

"Because we always do exactly that, mmm?"

She gave an annoyed huff. "Well at least we try."

The super announced they had reached the proper room before Nick could reply, and immediately set to unlocking the door. There was a minor delay while he found the proper key. A second later he pushed open the door, then immediately froze.

"What the…" the badger started, then bit back a curse and hurried inside.

Judy quickly pushed in as well. "Is something wrong?"

As soon as the words left her mouth she felt a slight flush of embarrassment as she took in the trashed room. For an instant her mind flashed back to the time Flip had broken into her apartment while she was away and trashed anything he could get his filthy claws on, but after a moment she realized this was something completely different. Drawers had been yanked free and dumped everywhere, and the furniture had been shredded, but here there was no sign of needless destruction. Rather this looked like someone had torn the place apart in a hurry while looking for something.

"I take it the place wasn't like this when you let Detective what's-his-name in?" Nick asked as he took in the room.

"Of course not," the superintendent said, rubbing his paws.

Nick nodded a bit. "Do you think he could have done this? Did you watch him check the room?"

"No, he just came in and looked around for a bit, then left. I was just outside the door the whole time waiting for him to leave," the badger said fretfully.

Judy could already tell Nick was thinking this 'detective' had been an impostor, but held her tongue while he questioned the badger and instead made her way to the bedroom. Inside she found that the dresser had been completely emptied as well, and as with the other furniture the bed had been flipped over and cut into. She also found that the window had been busted, with shards of glass littering the ground just inside the window frame.

"Hey Nick?" she called out. "Someone broke in through the bedroom."

While Judy reported this new crime and tried to help Clawhauser identify the detective that had visited the apartment earlier that morning, Nick busied himself examining the scene in an attempt to piece together what had happened. His first instinct upon seeing the ruined room was to think the detective had been an impostor and tossed the place, but that seemed much less likely with the superintendent insisting that he'd been present the whole time. Then there was the fact that, as Judy had noticed, someone had clearly broken into the room through the window.

He supposed it was possible that the detective was still an impostor and had merely been making sure that he had the right room before breaking in, but why go through so much trouble? More to the point, why bother with the break-in at all? The super had been completely taken in, so why not conduct the search and grab whatever he was looking for in the first place? Perhaps he'd been worried the real ZPD would show up and would realize that he was a phony, only that still didn't really fit. If he was that worried about getting caught in the act why risk coming back at all?

"Nick? Clawhauser insists the ZPD doesn't have any snow leopards going by the name Clawson or anything similar," Judy said, her ears tilted back with frustration as she turned back to the badger. "Are you sure that was his name?"

"I already told you I'm not," the badger huffed. "But I am sure it was claw-something. That much I know for sure."

Judy took a deep breath. "And you didn't bother to look at his badge."

"With how often we've got the ZPD coming through here I didn't see the point. I know he had one though."

"Or something that looked close enough to pass a casual glance," Nick mused, his ears flicked back. "And he wasn't the one that did this anyway. Judy, I think there are several different groups interested in whatever Brisa got mixed up in. Do we have someone watching her at the hospital?"

Judy's eyes widened slightly as she reached for her radio. "I don't know. Let me find out."

His tail swished as she began talking once more, then he turned his attention back to the apartment. There wasn't any point in him searching for clues, Judy was far better at spotting those than he'd ever been. What he did have, however, was a good idea of why the place had been torn apart…assuming Brisa still followed the advice he'd given her all those years ago of course.

Judging by the damage they'd wanted to find some sort of book, probably a notebook, which had to mean they wanted her client records. It was the sort of thing every good courier kept for when work started getting scarce. Sometimes the best way to find a job was to go looking, and it was always easier with a list of mammals who'd needed a courier in the past. Many couriers kept such a notebook, but most made the mistake of keeping it in a drawer or something equally silly.

Looking at the damage Nick guessed the culprits had the run of the place for a good half hour. Long enough to make a mess as they sacked the place, but Brisa was smart enough that she wouldn't hide something so important in an obvious spot. Depending on what sort of information she kept in the client list a mammal could learn a lot about what was going on in the city. He wasn't sure exactly what the intruders had hoped to find, but if they wanted it then so did he.

The question was where she would hide it. If it was him he would probably pull up a floorboard under a table or chair. Easy to get to, and mammals didn't typically look under the floor. That was thinking like a fox, however. Brisa could fly. That gave her quite a few options.

Accessibility was the key. The notebook would need to be safe without being difficult to reach. That often meant something simple. He couldn't imagine Brisa was willing to go through some elaborate setup every time she wanted to contact a former client or needed to add someone to the list, but a cursory glance was enough to tell him all the usual places had been checked.

False drawer bottoms? Nope. Pocket in the mattress? Also no. Hollow compartment in the furniture? Judging by the splintered wood that was also a bust. Even the vent covers had already been removed.

He drifted through the apartment without knowing what he was looking for, only that he would know when he saw it. No hidden panels in the closet. No loose floor boards. Nothing tucked away under the fridge. His tail began twitching with frustration as each idea turned up nothing.

Then he noticed the curtain rod over the bedroom window had claw marks.

"Ha! Here we go," he announced, then pulled it down as Judy and the Superintendent looked on in surprise. As he'd anticipated the wood was much lighter than it looked.

"Nick, what are you—" Judy started, then let out a sharp gasp as he brought the rod to his knee and snapped it in half.

He gave her a smile, then looked down at the two pieces of the curtain rod and blinked. It wasn't hollow like he'd thought, at least not exactly. It wasn't even wood at all. Just a cheap laminated exterior filled with some sort of sponge-y substance to give it strength. He stared at it, genuinely flabbergasted as the Superintendant let out a cry.

"What the 'ell do you think you're doing?" the badger demanded as he stomped over. "There's enough damage without you adding to the list as it is! Stop that!"

"Sorry," he said quickly, blushing as he felt rather than saw the judgmental scowl Judy was throwing in his direction. "It felt hollow, and there are these claw marks on it so I just thought—"

"Of course there are claw marks. She's a blasted bat. Those bloodsuckers hang from these things all the time, you nitwit," the badger continued as he snatched the ruined curtain rod away.

Nick snapped his mouth shut and forced himself to swallow the growl that was rising into his throat. He traded it for his normal easy smile, the very tip of his tail twitching behind him. "Well, learn something new every day, eh Carrots?"

"I'm sure the ZPD will pay for the damage," Judy said, which seemed to mollify the badger somewhat.

"Don't see why we wouldn't," Nick agreed, already examining the room again. "Thing is so flimsy it can't be that expensive. Heck, bet we could cover it if I skip my morning coffee."

The badger continued to grumble, but Nick had already spotted something else. Simple trim ran across the walls at ceiling level. It was the sort of improvement seen practically everywhere since it was a cheap way to make even a total dive have some aesthetic appeal by taking away the hard edges. The panel above the window wasn't fitted quite as closely however, and with the badger having just told him that the curtain rod had supported Brisa's weight…

He quickly hopped up onto the window sill and slipped his claws under the trim. A light tug was all it took for the whole thing to swing up on a pair of small hinges. From where he stood it was impossible to see what was inside, but his hand soon closed around a nylon strap. Then he was back on the floor, grinning as he pulled a bat-sized fanny pack clear of the space.

"Well, well, well. Looks like I wasn't too far off after all," he announced, then gave the badger another smile. "Judging by your expression I'm going to guess that isn't exactly a standard feature to these rooms. Clever girl must've made it herself."

"What is that?" Judy asked, stepping closer to get a look when he undid the zipper.

Nick held it out so she could get a look inside. Money, cheap prepaid cell phone, train and bus passes, bank lock box key, and most importantly of all a small notepad.

"Bolt bag. Everyone that's smart has one," he explained as he picked up the notebook. "And unless I miss my guess, this is what the mammals that made this mess were looking for." His thumb pushed the cover open to reveal a list of names, dates, places, and phone numbers. "See?"

"You think that whoever attacked her is in that book?" Judy asked as she looked down at it.

"That or they are trying to track down someone she worked for," he said as he skimmed the pages. As he did the initial rush of excitement wore off and he bit back a curse. "Brisa, why? Why are you making this so hard on me?"

Judy's nose twitched slightly. "Nick, what's wrong?"

"I can't read this," he announced, throwing his hands up. "It's only got nicknames and I don't recognize any of them. She probably came up with them herself, which means she's the only one who can tell us what any of it means."


	6. Zootopian Zeitgeist

**Studio Transcript:**

Peter Moosebridge: Good evening to all of our viewers out there, and welcome to another installment of Zootopian Zeitgeist. I'm Peter Moosebridge, and with me today we have one of the rising stars of the local art scene. Although he has been a fixture in the Zootopia School of Art for the past decade, it is only with his recent wave of evocative and controversial pieces that he has come into the spotlight. Despite the uproar he has caused there is no denying that his art has captured the public eye with the intensity of the scenes he presents and—

Antonio LeCapra: ( _laughing_ )

PM: —a message that is especially important today. Antonio LeCapra.

AL: Thank you, it's wonderful to be here.

PM: And we are glad to have you. Tell me, how long have you been practicing art?

AL: Oh, I got started back in high school when I took a photography course as an elective. ( _laughing_ ) Because I was too lazy to bother with painting, so you can imagine my disappointment when I learned that even with taking pictures I needed to learn to control light levels, and shudder speed, and about framing, and just a whole mess of things. There was this saying my teacher, Mr. Cueva, had that stuck with me though. First day of class he said there are no rules to art, only concept, imagination, and the courage to present your message to an audience.

PM: That is certainly an inspiring message. I can see why you would remember it.

AL: Indeed.

PM: So you started with photography. The first of your works to draw significant notice was a collage of photos. The Gazelle and—

AL: —and Monica Purrsia one. "Empathy." Yes. Let me tell you, shortly after I released it I wondered if I'd made a horrible mistake. Many mammals were angry about it at the time.

PM: They certainly were!

AL: In fact, I believe one of the Zootopia Times art critics even called the work "wildly reckless".

PM: ( _chuckling_ ) Still, it certainly got the city's attention. I'm told there is a story behind this, about how it was the result of an accident?

AL: There is, actually, although I prefer to call it a happy mistake. The whole shoot was sort of thrown together at the last moment after I had worked with both Gazelle and Purrsia for some lingerie ads. This was just after the second Savage Mammal crisis and I had the idea of taking some pictures of predators and prey together as sort of a…well…a social statement you could say.

PM: Well, you most certainly made a statement.

AL: Yes, although it wasn't quite the one I intended. When that overhead light crashed into the stage just to the right of Gazelle—we were extremely lucky because just a bit over and it might have crushed her—I just happened to catch a picture of the aftermath while both of my models were jumping away from the sound. Of course I was using a modern digital camera, so rather than a single image it captures thirty or so over the course of about a second, which allows the photographer to select the best one or combine them to compose the exact image he pictured in his mind.

PM: So this was the result of a lot of luck on many counts?

AL: Quite so. Of course we immediately stopped the photo shoot after the accident and neither model was comfortable coming back. Completely understandable. But I already had those pictures, and my memories, and something struck me. Both ladies had exactly the same reaction: fear. Granted I presume Gazelle perhaps felt it a bit more keenly since she was nearly crushed, but still. Fear and surprise was written clear on both of them.

And for some reason I was blessed with inspiration. I remembered that one photo that made it into the newspaper following the Founder's Day disaster. The one with the fox and bunny cops.

PM: Ah, yeah. There was a bit of murmuring about that at the time, although of course the city had bigger worries on their minds. Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde I believe. That was before they made their relationship public, if I recall.

AL: Honestly I wouldn't know. ( _laughing_ ) And I just had this insight that they—Gazelle and Purrsia—were the same. In that moment they were identical in every way that mattered, and I expect that as a result of the near miss they both now share a connection that I can only imagine.

PM: Which is the core of your message, is it not? That everyone is the same.

AL: ( _thoughtfully_ ) Essentially? Yes. Although I would say it is more nuanced than such a naively blanket declaration.

PM: Oh? Would you care to elaborate?

AL: So long as you don't mind if I transform into an overly pretentious artist for a moment. ( _laughing_ )

PM: ( _laughing_ )

AL: I'll take that as an okay. The thing is that I hear many mammals reducing my message to "everyone is the same" and as admirable as I find the notion it actually isn't true. I don't think anyone can really argue that everyone is the same with a straight face. Just take us. We're both prey, But you're a moose and I'm a goat. You are clearly larger than I am, and your antlers are much more impressive than my horns. More to the point, if I happened to be a cheetah—for instance—those differences would be even more apparent. I'd have spots and claws and sharper teeth. We'd eat different things.

However even if we were both goats there would be differences. We'd have different interests and dreams. We would probably like and hate different things. We would have taken different paths during our lives, so to say that we would be the same wouldn't just be naive. It could even be considered offensive. In fact, you'll probably notice that many slurs you hear today come from exactly that very angle.

PM: Yes, I think everyone can understand that point. I certainly never considered getting into art, and from the sound of it you never thought about getting into media.

AL: Exactly.

PM: How would you describe your philosophy then?

AL: You see, the thing is that perhaps we look different, and have different interests, and different dreams, but most of that is fairly superficial. I happen to enjoy a nice cabbage salad, but I doubt I would be substantially different if I favored lettuce instead. These details are interesting, but they cover up what matters: the core of a being. That is where my interest lies, and what I try to capture. It is very difficult to do, as it is so ephemeral. It only reveals itself for fleeting moments.

PM: And these fleeting moments are what you attempt to capture?

AL: Yes. Yes. And I believe that is what I discovered in my Gazelle/Purrsia collage. Two mammals—similar in some respects, but different in others—reacting to the same event in the same way at the same time. Shock. Fear. Very intense. Powerful. Even primal, I would say. All because an unexpected event cut through to who they were at the most basic level.

PM: I see. Of course I'm sure you're aware that many of your critics say that you only deal in terror.

AL: ( _snorting_ ) Yes, well, I've found that when someone dislikes your message they grasp at any convenient reason to tear it down.

PM: True enough, however I must admit I can see their concern. There is no denying that fear and terror are central to all of your current works.

AL: Yes, however that is mostly a matter of accessibility and ease.

PM: Oh?

AL: Certainly. In truth, any sufficiently intense emotional experience would serve my needs. Love. Joy. Surprise. Shock. Disgust. Fear just happens to be especially easy to elicit. I also believe it happens to be easy to identify with. At some point in every mammal's life they are bound to experience a deep sense of terror, so grounding my art in that particular emotion allows them to more easily sympathize with the subject.

PM: It definitely seems to be working, doesn't it?

AL: ( _chuckling_ ) Is that an oblique reference to the informal "movement" that has been kicked off with other artists trying their hand at capturing similar scenes?

PM: It was indeed. In fact, you have a gallery opening up in the coming days, do you not?

AL: Yes. Am I allowed to—

PM: Go ahead. Go ahead.

AL: Thank you. A collection of works by a number of artists will be available for public viewing at the University's Hall of the Arts in the coming weeks. I believe it opens its doors beginning next Wednesday? In any case, I know some of the artists, and they are all exceptionally talented. I cannot wait to see what they have to share. A number of them follow the themes I have been exploring, but for my so-called critics I know that others have attempted to capture other moments of intense emotion. The fee is quite minimal, just fifteen a head. Seniors get half price and children under twelve are admitted free of charge with an adult. If you're a fan of modern art and wish to support Zootopia's finest artists, than I implore you to see what we have to share.

* * *

After turning Brisa's apartment over to the CSI's so it could be processed more throughly, Judy and Nick tried visiting several locations the fruit bat frequented. Nick had been skeptical that they would learn anything by doing so; however, he had agreed they didn't have much to lose by poking around her favorite "hang outs". Unfortunately the fox's instincts proved to be correct in this instance. They were able to turn up a fair number of mammals Brisa had made acquaintances with, but none knew the bat particularly well.

It seemed that although no mammal had anything negative to say about Brisa that she didn't have many real friends either.

Then they were notified that the bat had finally woken up, so it was back to the hospital. Nick grew increasingly anxious during the drive over, and completely lost his nerve the moment they pulled in. Considering what he'd told her after the last time they'd seen Brisa, Judy didn't have much trouble guessing what was bothering him. His request to wait in the cruiser hardly came as a surprise, so she found herself heading up to the bat's room by herself.

Only to be stopped by a nurse before she could go into the room. "Excuse me, officer? The doctor doesn't want anyone going in there without permission."

Judy blinked, then turned to face the sheep. "Really? Sorry, I wasn't told," she said, giving her ears a slight apologetic dip as she looked up and down the hall. "Where do I go to do that?"

"Um…well the thing is the bat's doctor left about half an hour ago to see a patient at our other facility, so I'm afraid you can't right now," the sheep said. "If you like I can try contacting him, but there's no guarantee he'll answer."

She gave her head a slight shake and sighed. "No, it is fine. We just heard that Brisa was awake, and thought we would be able to interview her. We can always come back later."

At that the sheep ooooh-ed and bit his lip. "That might be a little difficult."

"Really? Is there something wrong?"

"Not exactly, considering, but she's still intubated," the nurse explained. "Makes it impossible to speak. Normally we could just give her a notepad and pen, but with how badly her limbs are hurt… Well, basically all she can do right now is nod."

That certainly made things more difficult. Judy puffed her cheeks out as she exhaled, then took a deep breath.

"I don't suppose you know when she'll be able to answer questions?"

"Not exactly. Intubation is really unpleasant, so we try to take people off as soon as it is safe. Can tell you that her condition will be reevaluated every day, but that is about it." The sheep's head bobbed slightly as he spoke, then his ears shot up. "Oh, but we can certainly let the ZPD know when we are about to do it."

"Could you? We would really appreciate it," Judy said, brightening slightly. "Will she really be able to speak to us that quickly?"

"So long as you are patient and don't expect her to say too much, sure. Of course her doctor will need to be present, to make sure she isn't being stressed too much."

Judy nodded her understanding. "In that case, there is one last thing I wanted to speak to you about."

"That sounds serious," the sheep nurse said. "What's up?"

"Before you let any officer conduct an interview, could you please verify their credentials with the ZPD?" Judy asked. "Also, if an officer tries to get her transfered, immediately contact Precinct One to make sure the request is authentic?"

The sheep blinked twice. "Ah, yeah, I can note that on her chart and make sure everyone knows. Is something going on?"

"Just that we have reason to believe that someone posing as an officer may try to gain access to Brisa," Judy explained seriously. "He's a snow leopard. Apparently he was calling himself Detective Claws, or Detective Clawson, or some variant of that."

"I'll spread the word," the sheep said, "but I think you should have the ZPD make an official request if you want to be sure. That'll make sure management gets involved, otherwise we aren't allowed to do all that much."

Judy resisted the urge to sigh, forcing herself to appreciate that the sheep was trying to cooperate even as she wondered why things were always set up so that normal mammals weren't permitted to help. "In that case, I'll talk to the chief. Thank you very much."

Before leaving, she stopped by Brisa's room to peek through the window just to be sure everything was okay. Inside she could hear the machinery softly beeping and hissing as it helped the injured bat breath, but when she looked in she found that Brisa's eyes were opened and her head turned toward the window. Somehow, despite looking completely miserable, the young lady managed to look alert as well. Or maybe that was just a side effect of the painkillers the doctors surely had her on.

Judy gave the bat a friendly smile, followed by a quick wave before she hurried back to the cruiser so she could share the good news with Nick. To her surprise, she found him pacing in the parking lot with his nose buried in the notebook that contained all of Brisa's contacts. Given how anxious this visit had made him she'd expected to find him waiting quietly in the vehicle.

"I thought you were going to wait in the car."

Nick looked up, his ears dipping back for just a second. "I got restless," he admitted. "Felt like I should do something, so I thought I'd give the notebook another go. Walking helps me think sometimes."

"Sure you weren't just trying to distract yourself?" she teased lightly, fishing the keys out of her pocket before going up onto her toes to unlock the door. "You know, there isn't anything wrong with feeling upset. It isn't like you can help having emotions."

"I know," he sighed, then jumped into the passenger's side.

Judy watched him buckle up, then smiled as she followed suit. "Brisa is awake though, or she was when I peeked in. The doctors don't want anyone bothering her yet, but she actually seemed fairly alert."

"She's pretty tough," Nick said, then sighed as she pulled out. "I should have gone in with you, I just…"

Judy peeked back in his direction and bit her lip. "There is always next time."

"Yeah," he agreed dully, looking out the window. "Always a next time. Until there isn't."

"Do you want me to turn back? There is still time for you to check on her."

At that Nick hesitated, then shook his head. "I'm not sure I can. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up."

For a moment she considered suggesting that since Brisa seemed to be doing better maybe the scent wouldn't be quite so intense now, but in truth she would only be guessing. Her nose wasn't as sensitive as Nick's, and she hadn't thought to ask anyone. She bit her lip again and considered asking one of the precinct's wolves if they would mind checking on that for her, then quickly decided against it. With how reluctant Nick had been to even tell her about it she doubted he would be comfortable with getting anyone else involved.

"So you decided to distract yourself by looking at her contacts again?" she asked, hoping to distract him from his worries. "I thought you said we'd need her help to find out anything. Did you change your mind?"

Nick perked his ears slightly and looked her way, then gave her a small smile. "Not exactly. But I figured that since I know her I might be able to figure guess what some of the entries are. Plus there are phone numbers, and I realized I might recognize a few of them."

"Did you?"

"There were a few phone numbers I know, but they're mostly bit players," Nick said, then gave his head a slight shake. "Unless I can find them in the ZPD database I probably shouldn't be handing 'em over. I doubt they are involved in any case. Something like this doesn't seem like any of them.

"I think I might have figured out who a few of the names refer to, though. There is a Mr. B. I'm willing to put money on that being Mr. Big. A few others I have a pretty good idea of who they might be. There are a lot that I'm just clueless about though."

"Well, it's a start at least," Judy said, then gave her partner an optimistic smile. "Maybe you'll figure out a few more if you keep working at it."

"Maybe, but we should probably let the CSI's have a go at it first," Nick agreed. "Who knows what's in their databases."

She nodded, then gave him a sideways look when they reached the next stoplight. "So…are you in her book as well?"

The question earned her a laugh. "I can neither confirm nor deny my presence in Brisa's notebook."

"But you did look," Judy pressed, grinning.

"I did."

"So, are you?" she asked again.

"Sweetheart?" Nick began as he leaned closer. "I know exactly what you're trying to do, and you have no idea how much I appreciate it. If we weren't on duty I'd give you a kiss."


	7. Principle of Priority

AN: Jeeze, I have let this languish for a super long time. But my second book is finally out now, which means I have more time for writing; so I'll be trying to get this story rolling again.

* * *

Chief Uncia sat behind the sprawling desk, tail lashing the air behind her. She rubbed her head while grappling with the one problem that seemed to hinder Precinct One at every turn: she simply could not put as many mammals on the street as Zootopia needed. It was something of a time-honored dilemma that dogged every government undertaking, she supposed. Ultimately the mammals in power would provide only what they deemed to be the absolute minimum of support required to achieve their goals.

Unfortunately, understanding that didn't make the problem any easier to overcome. At present she could put one officer on the street for every 2,300 mammals living in her precinct. Perhaps during normal times those numbers would suffice, if only barely, but having to deal with inter-species tensions had the entire ZPD stretched thin. Thus far she had managed to make ends meet by relying on the precinct's detectives to help fill in the gaps where possible, but even that wasn't quite enough. Not a week went by where she wasn't forced call on a portion of the force to work overtime to help make up the difference.

So far it had worked, but there was a cost. She could see it in the tired looks that met her whenever she briefed her officers in the Cat's Cradle (she still couldn't believe Nick had somehow managed to make that absurd name stick). even though she spread the extra work around as evenly as possible The strain was beginning to show even though she spread the extra work around as evenly as possible, and Precinct One's traditional place helping the other city districts cover the gaps in their services was not helping matters in the slightest.

The one silver lining was that the city council recognized how critical the situation had become and was diverting emergency funds to expand the city's officer training program. Even there, Uncia knew better than to believe that an influx of fresh blood would solve all her problems. For one, the next graduation was still half a year a way, and because these things took time the next graduating class would only be 3% larger than the one that had preceded it. Beyond that, the new officers would need at least several months to get their bearings.

Which didn't even begin to address the challenges running a larger force would bring. More overhead. More paperwork. More cases and patrols to assign. Then, sooner or later, things would settle down once more. It was inevitable. So what happened then, when the city decided it was time to cut its law enforcement budget back to previous levels?

She shook her head, telling herself that these were problems she couldn't fix right then. The commissioner knew her complaints, along with the complaints of every other Chief on the force. Whatever decisions were made would be completely out of her hands. Her time was better spent worrying over what she could affect.

Like the investigation into the attack that had happened on Mr. Big's property. It had been years since she'd last had a shot at the crime boss. This was a rare opportunity to do the city a great service right when it needed it most. She had no illusions that taking down one major syndicate would cause the crime rate to drop, at least not permanently. Some other gang or family would move in to fill the vacuum as they always did.

But that didn't make bringing down the Big syndicate meaningless. It would send a powerful message that the rule of law still held sway in Zootopia. That the ZPD still had the situation under control. With that the city could go to sleep feeling a little safer, and that was something mammals desperately needed now.

Everything that had gone wrong could be traced back to how vulnerable the nighthowler incidents had made mammals feel, and because of that trust had began to break down. And trust, once lost, was especially difficult to regain. Doubly so if a mammal felt constantly threatened. So they retreated into their little enclaves where they could feel safe, surrounded by those most like themselves, and inadvertently made the problem worse. If she could make mammals feel safe once more, however, then perhaps it would be easier to jump start the process of reconciliation.

At least there was some progress, although Uncia still wasn't sure if it would go anywhere. She still didn't agree with the commissioner's decision to put Officer Hopps on the case. It wasn't that she didn't trust the bunny, but rather that Mr. Big had only agreed to cooperate with her. Since her assignment to the First Precinct, Uncia had learned Officer Hopps could be trusted to do the right thing. Mr. Big always looked out for his own interests, on the other hand. Although Officer Hopps would not knowingly compromise the investigation, Chief Uncia wondered if the wily shrew didn't have some plan to manipulate her to his own ends just the same.

Things seemed to be working out, however. Both Judy and Nick agreed that Mr. Big didn't seem involved in the attack, which she supposed was good news, but that something had been stolen from him. What had been taken remained unknown, but it certainly looked like an opportunity. Only another crime boss would be crazy enough to steal from someone like Mr. Big, and anything they wanted to get their paws on was something she was very interested in seeing. The sort of thing that might let her lock the shrew up for good.

That someone was apparently snooping around Brisa's apartment seemed to indicate she was right to think that. Mr. Big was almost certainly behind it, trying to find out what had been lost so he could recover it before the ZPD. Perhaps that was why he wanted Judy working the case. Not because she would undermine the investigation, but because she wouldn't. Then he could distract her in other ways, but the investigation would still come away clean thereby letting him clear his name.

Only he probably hadn't been counting on Officer Wilde finding Brisa's contact book, nor on his ability to recognize who some of the individuals were. The fox's report had stressed that he doubted any of the names he'd provided were involved, but that might not matter. She could still send officers out, just a light questioning under the guise of a preliminary investigation. That might be enough to make Mr. Big worry they had more than they really did, which might just be enough to make him desperate, and desperate mammals made mistakes.

She had just begun drafting the necessary orders when the phone interrupted her, making her tail-fur stand on end. A hiss slipped from her and she glared at the phone, then grudgingly picked it up. "Chief Uncia, ZPD Precinct One."

"Asha? You sound harried. I would offer to call at a better time, but I think we both know there is no such thing. How are things as my—at the precinct?"

Chief Uncia sat up a little straighter when she recognized the mayor's voice. "Ah, sir, I wasn't expecting a call from you," she said, her eyes drifting to the growing mountain of paperwork on her desk. "Everything is good, or as good as can be expected considering. Is there a problem?"

A gruff chuckle sounded over the line. "There is always a problem, but what can one do? From the sound of it, you've had your hands full with protests lately."

"Among other things, yes." She closed her eyes. "No offense, sir, but I assume there is a reason you called?"

"You have no idea how much I miss having someone cut straight to the point," Mayor Bogo said. "I was hoping we could meet sometime in the next week. There are a number of things I feel we should discuss. Nothing critical! Just…a bit of wisdom I failed to pass along during my rush out the door."

She pursed her lips. "Are you sure that is wise right now, sir?"

"Why wouldn't it be?"

"I'm still the most junior chief on the force, sir. If we have a meeting, you know that mammals are going to assume you're playing favorites, or that you're unhappy with the job I've been doing," she pointed out.

There was a pause on the other end. "Ah. You may be right." He sighed. "How about this, I will be making a public appearance next week. I believe Precinct One is providing the security detail, yes?"

Chief Uncia froze. Was it? She tucked the phone into the crook of her neck and began shuffling through the papers on her desk. About a third of the way down the stack she found the proper folder and flipped it open.

"Ah, yes, I have the request here," she said as she skimmed the file, then groaned. "Your office requested I include the lovebirds in the detail again."

"They did?" Bogo sounded genuinely surprised. She had just enough time to pull the phone away from her ear before he began bellowing. "Phillis? PHILLIS! I thought I made it clear we weren't going to be imposing on Officers Hopps and Wilde any longer."

It was difficult not to smile as hints of conversation drifted over the line before the mayor returned. "Sorry about that. I have my aide looking into it. You should have told me sooner, I would have dealt with it."

"I—ah—I didn't notice it until now," she admitted.

"Well, I suppose there is no harm done if we let it go this once," Bogo said. "It may actually work to our favor. With them there, you could come without drawing undo attention. Everyone will just assume it is a giant photo op."

"I'll try sir, but I've got enough reports here to review that I—"

"Asha, are you aware of the Principle of Priority?" Bogo asked. She could almost imagine him frowning at her.

"I don't think so, sir."

"It is very simple," the mayor continued. "It just says two things. First, you must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important. Are you with me so far?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very good," Bogo said. "Second, you must do what is important first. Forget the paperwork for now."

* * *

Judy slowly leafed through Brisa's notebook, only pausing when she needed to compare it to the notes Nick had given her, or when she needed to make notes of her own. She had to admit that without Nick's inside knowledge it would have been impossible to glean anything from the bat's notebook. It seemed Brisa used aliases for everyone. Mammals. Places. Even popular holidays. That was bad enough, but she also seemed to change them on a whim if she came up with a better one.

For example, there was "TT", who Nick had helpfully identified as Finnick. Brisa then switched to "Bat Guy", then "Big Angry", and finally "Bluster Fluff". Judy couldn't help thinking that every nickname seemed to fit the fennec even if she wasn't sure what TT stood for (although she had a few good guesses). That made it a nightmare to keep track of who was being referenced in the notebook. In theory the phone numbers would address that problem, but many of her clients dealt at best in the gray areas of the law and thus changed their numbers frequently. Untangling it took almost constant vigilance.

Still, she was slowly building a timeline of Brisa's activities over the past month. They were only really interested in the days leading up to the attack. If they could figure out which of Mr. Big's associates she'd been working for at the time that might tell them what she'd been carrying, which might lead them to who had attacked her. It was a long shot, but until the bat was well enough to answer their questions it was their only shot.

However Judy couldn't help looking for patterns as she worked. Several practically leapt off the page at her, and after it was difficult not to dig for more. Apparently even independent couriers had clients that needed deliveries to be made on a regular schedule.

Which made the last job Brisa had run seem especially out of place. A completely new name with a completely new phone number. Of course, she couldn't know for sure that meant this was a new customer. It was possible Brisa had changed the nickname she was using for this client at the same time that the client had gotten a new number, but that would be quite the coincidence. The possibility that the fruit bat had been working for someone she didn't know terribly well was undeniably compelling, and also meshed with Mr. Big's claims that he hadn't been expecting anything that day.

According to Nick, the mob boss had been remarkably truthful in his answers. Not that Mr. Big didn't carefully sidestep some of the questions she'd asked, but apparently nothing he'd said seemed like an outright lie. She was willing to bet that everything he had said was true, but that his answers had been carefully tailored to avoid addressing any illegal aspects of his dealings.

Her stomach growled. She tried to ignore it, but the unexpected discomfort derailed her train of thought and she glanced up at the clock to find it was nearly seven in the evening. Her ears came up and she blinked a few times. It wasn't unusual for her to get so caught up in a case that she stayed late. Nick always teased her about how she always seemed to bury herself in her casework, but he always stayed behind so she'd have help if she needed it and to gently remind her to call it a night before she wore herself out completely. In fact, she couldn't remember the last time she'd worked this late without Nick breaking in to make her stop. It wasn't like him to let her keep going this long. Normally he would've started reminding her about the importance of work/life balance at least half an hour ago.

A light groan slipped from Judy's lips as she slipped out of her chair and stretched to help restore circulation to her legs, then looked around. Nick wasn't at his desk. She vaguely remembered him saying something about some evidence he wanted to look at. That had been awhile ago. During normal working hours, she thought. Could he still be doing that?

She quickly tidied up her desk and gathered her notes into a folder before heading to the evidence lockers, taking note of how different the precinct felt at this hour. There were still plenty of officers around, but it was noticeably more empty and most who remained showed signs of being near the end of their shifts. Every last interview room was dark, and even Forensics had began to wind down as they prepared to hand over to the night crew.

As she'd hoped, Nick was still in the evidence room seated at one of the counters along the wall and looking at something with his brow furrowed. She watched him stare at whatever he was examining, then hopped into the chair with him.

"Find anything?" she asked as she stood beside him so she could see what he was doing.

Nick let out a yelp and recoiled briefly, ears back and fur puffed out. "Judy?! Jeeze!" He paused to take a breath. "Sorry, you scared the bejeezes out of me. I didn't hear you come in."

"Not surprising. You were really focused on…pictures of Brisa's injuries?" Judy stared at the photos Nick had out, eyes wide as she took in the slashes that covered the bat's back. Thankfully the pictures had been taken after the hospital had gotten to clean up and stitch the wounds, but they still made for a gruesome sight. "Nick, are you really okay looking at this?"

"Probably not," he admitted while rubbing his face with one hand. "But I just couldn't help…I mean…I had to know." He sighed again, ears back. "Although I think I noticed something. Look at this."

He then reached out and put his hand over the picture, putting one claw on each of the scratches. Each of his three fingers found their place easily, but when it came to his thumb he had to twist his hand and stretch the digit quite a bit.

"I can get my hand in place to do something like this, but it is kind of hard and doesn't feel very natural. Plus, I doubt I could make the slashes look this clean. These were made by very sharp claws," he said.

"So these weren't made by a fox," Judy guessed, then looked up at him. "Were you worried about that?"

"A little bit," he admitted, then tapped the photo with his other hand. "But not just a fox. I don't think any mammal could have made these. Hands just don't work that way. Most mammals with claws would swipe at you, but this was more of a grab. I would expect this lone slash on the bottom to be off to one side and at an angle—" He lifted his hand up in front of her and mimed trying to grab someone with his claws as he spoke. "—like this. See?"

"So, what? You think these are fake? That someone cut her up to try and mislead everyone about what happened?"

Nick shook his head. "I doubt it. Or if someone was doing that, they'd have to be pretty perverse. A knife would leave cleaner slashes than this. I think maybe some sort of bird got her. Something with really large claws. A raptor of some sort. Maybe an Owl? I don't know, I'm not a bird watcher."

Judy found herself nodding in agreement as he explained his reasoning. "That's what you've been trying to figure out? What kinda bird it was?"

"Uh…" Nick hesitated, then glanced to one side. "Not exactly. I realized it couldn't be a mammal pretty quick, but after I realized it was a bird I just…kept staring at the pictures."

She hesitated, then reached out and rested a hand on his forearm. "Why?"

"Because I know how things are out there, Carrots." He looked away from her. "I don't know what things are like in Bunny Burrow, but other than the looks you and I get things seem much more friendly out there than in the city."

"Only because you haven't seen some of the low-key feuds that are going on," Judy assured him, giving his arm a light squeeze. "If someone gets upset at you out there, there really isn't a way to avoid them, and everyone knows everyone else's secrets. You haven't seen petty until you've seen small town pettiness."

"Maybe, but everyone knows each other so I doubt things ever get that violent, and not to say that the city is all that dangerous or anything but…" Nick rubbed his neck, closing his eyes. "But it can be very mean. And there are times when it can be very dangerous. Usually mammals don't go out looking for that sort of trouble, not even those on the shady side of things, Carrots."

He stopped abruptly then looked her in the eyes, nearly whispering. "When they do, though, they make sure to bring a…a tool that is up to the task. I mean, if you're going to be doing something stupid and dangerous and expect there to be trouble you're going to want some insurance and an edge. So why would they use some sort of bird for their attack?"

"You think she was targeted specifically," Judy guessed, her ears back.

"Yes. No. Maybe. I mean…" Nick struggled for a moment. "I think they were targeting a bat. They knew Mr. Big was going to get something. Something they wanted. And the fastest way to get it to him would be a bound courier. And the only way to be sure that you intercept a bat courier would be to get them before they land. And there aren't many bats that are going to fly into someplace that cold."

Judy looked into Nick's eyes, her lips pursed and tail quivering, then tilted her head to one side and gave his arm another squeeze. "Nick, you know that thing you're always telling me I need to do?"

"Fluff, I'm not sure—"

"Ah ah ah," she interjected, reaching out to cover his lips with a finger. "Sometimes you need to turn off your cop brain, remember? How about you put all that up. It'll still be here tomorrow. Once we have everything squared away, we're going to leave here and meet up with Clawhauser and company for Thirsty Thursday, then we are going to head home and relax for the rest of the night."

"Judy, I really don't—"

She tapped his lips again, smiling. "No. I'm pulling rank this time, sweetheart, and if that isn't enough then I'm willing to bring in the Chief too."


End file.
